Beyond 08, The St. Regis Magazine Issue 6 - Fall/Winter 2016

T H E S T. R E G I S M A G A Z I N E

B E Y O N D , T H E S T. R E G I S M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE 8

Interview

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Interview

A Riva is a Riva. Always.

yesterday

today

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Aquariva Super

a Ferretti Group brand

www.riva-yacht.com

Iseo • Aquariva Super • Rivarama Super • Rivale • SportRiva 56’ • 63’ Vertigo • 63’ Virtus • 68’ Ego Super • 75’ Venere Super • 86’ Domino • 88’ Florida • 92’ Duchessa • 122’ Mythos

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T H E S T. R E G I S M A G A Z I N E

Cover photographed by Daniela Federici; styling by Mark Connolly; with thanks to Lilian Wagner, Dare Felchin and the team at The St. Regis San Francisco

Editorial Editor: Lisa Grainger Assistant editor: Damon Syson Design: Vanessa Arnaud Fashion: Nadia Balame Picture editor: Lyndsey Price Assistant picture editor: Emma Hammar  Editorial director: Gill Morgan Publisher: Crispin Jameson Project manager: Sarah Glyde

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Š Copyright 2016 Brave New World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of

this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors it may contain 6

© Didier Gourdon

CALIBER RM 07-01

www.richardmille.com

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Photo : Pictoresq

BRS DIAMOND EAGLE · Bell & Ross UK: +44(0) 2076 291 558 · Boutique: Units 48 - 49 Burlington Arcade · W1J 0QJ · London · e-Boutique: www.bellross.com

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CONTRIBUTORS Lucia van der Post The South African-born author of Things I Wish My Mother Had Told Me is the undisputed doyenne of all things stylish in London, having been the founding editor of the Financial Times’ How to Spend It magazine. An inveterate traveler and committed wilderness-seeker, if she could be anywhere this winter, it would be “drifting through Indonesia’s Flores Sea in a beautiful old-fashioned phinisi, swimming with manta rays and watching schools of dolphins at play”.

Ed Kashi Awarded Multimedia Photographer of The Year in 2015 by Pictures of the Year International, the American photojournalist has exhibited his work – featuring everything from Kurdistan festivals to Nigerian oilfields – all over the world. For this issue of Beyond, he captured the rolling hills and historic towns of Virginia (page 30).

If he weren’t visiting his daughter in cold Michigan this winter, he’d jet off to India, Cuba or Nicaragua – “anywhere to keep warm”.

Douglas Rogers The award-winning author and journalist has seen much of the world in the course of his work, whether it involved taking road trips for The Daily Telegraph or embarking on jungle adventures for Travel + Leisure. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, he now lives in the U.S. state of Virginia, whose historic hinterland he explores on page 30 of Beyond. His dream winter escape, he says, is to the South American hotspot of Uruguay, “where I’d sip rum cocktails in a beach bar”.

Richard E. Grant Best known for his role in the cult comedy film Withnail and I, the Swaziland-born, London-based actor has played roles ranging from Izembaro in Game of Thrones to Jasper in Girls, as well as writing and directing the 2005 film, Wah-Wah, which was loosely based on his own childhood experiences. For Beyond, he writes about the seven journeys that informed his life – and the one place he keeps returning to: Mustique, for “its amazing weather and the sublime Macaroni beach”.

Tina Gaudoin The founder and former editor-in-chief of WSJ, the Wall Street Journal’s magazine, has edited four major publications on both sides of the Atlantic. Her unerring eye for detail – particularly in matters of style – made her the obvious choice to write our tongue-in-cheek take on “The New Honeymoons” on page 59. Where she’d most like to be over the next few months, she says, is away from it all, “in southern California, preferably on a paddleboard”.

Naeem Khan Since launching his eponymous label in 2003, the Indian-born fashion designer has dressed everyone from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore one of his outfits for her high-profile visit to the Taj Mahal.

He divides his time between New York, Mumbai – where he recommends his favorite restaurant on page 39 of Beyond – and Miami. “I’m in love with Miami,” he says. “It’s so beautiful and there’s so much going on. That’s where I want to be this winter.”

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CONTENTS 14 The Magnificent Seven

50 Hotel California

From Fabergé eggs and vintage ski posters to a Californian e-bike that’s setting the bar for eco-friendly transportation, we present striking objects from around the world with a tale to tell

Our fall fashion story combines rich earthy shades with chic metallic touches, photographed against the cool contemporary backdrop of The St. Regis San Francisco

30 The Homeland

59 Alternative Honeymoons

The land between the Blue Ridge and Route 15 in Virginia is one of the most historic corners of the U.S. Douglas Rogers goes on the road in “The Place Where America Happened”

Once upon a time, you got married and went on honeymoon. Now there are countless variations on the theme, from baby-moons to mini-moons.

We take a light-hearted look at the options

38 Hidden Treasures

63 Rafa’s Island

Tastemakers share with us their address book favorites, from fashion designer Rıfat Özbek’s beloved Istanbul bathing product emporium to a magical vintage perfume shop in Bangkok

Despite his global stardom, tennis legend Rafael Nadal still lives a few miles from the town where he grew up. But when your birthplace is the beautiful island of Mallorca, why move?

– Fashion –

– The World in Seven Objects –

– The Trend –

– The Journey –

– Interview –

– A Little Place I Know –

40 Jason Wu – Interview –

Taiwan-born Jason Wu hit the headlines when Michelle Obama wore one of his creations to her husband’s inauguration ball. Now he’s the go-to red carpet designer for stars like Jessica Chastain, Diane Kruger and Michelle Williams

42 Smart Packing – Vacation Style –

Whether you’re planning a honeymoon in Bali, a city break in Dubai, a family ski trip to Deer Valley or a wedding party in Florence, these are the essentials you need to take

Cover: Bottega Veneta coat, $12,900, and dress, $1,500, bottegaveneta.com, Gianvito Rossi boots, $2,195, gianvitorossi.com, Westward Leaning sunglasses, $185, westwardleaning.com. Above: Dolce & Gabbana jacket, $4,595, dolcegabbana.com, Tiffany & Co. earrings, $1,850, tiffany.com

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Contents

78 Hung Liu – Art –

Jingzhe - First Spring Thunder (2011) by Hung Liu, described by critic David Littlejohn as “the greatest Chinese painter in the U.S.”

66 Treasured Maps

84 The Last Tycoon

NicolÒ Rubelli, fifth generation owner of Venice’s leading textile company, owns 180 antique maps of his magical city. He reveals the rich history behind these fascinating artifacts

When John Jacob Astor IV died on the Titanic, his son Vincent became the richest young man in the world. Unlike many of his forebears, he set about giving his fortune to charitable causes

68 The St. Regis Atlas

90 Life of Luxury

Our international network of hotels and resorts, from Doha to Deer Valley, Mexico City to Macao, plus the Aficionado’s Guide to St. Regis, to help you make the most of your stay

In the past, high-end brands were known for doing one thing well. Now they’re broadening their range to include homewares and even hotel suites. Lucia van der Post charts the change

70 Art in Dubai

94 Kitchen Confidential

Dubai’s cultural blossoming has taken the art world by storm. We meet the inspirational female artists, gallerists and curators who are driving this incredible transformation

We talk to star chefs Valeria Piccini and Michele Griglio, whose extraordinary collaboration at The St. Regis Florence has already seen them awarded a coveted Michelin star

74 Wheels of Fortune

96 Richard E. Grant

– The Connoisseur –

– The Back Story –

– The Directory –

– Design –

– Culture –

– Food –

– Motoring –

– A Life in Seven Journeys –

Ten years ago, vintage cars were considered a risky investment, but today the most soughtafter models are achieving huge sums at auction.

We pick out five of the most coveted examples

Actor, author and director Richard E. Grant describes the seven memorable journeys that have taken him from his birthplace in Swaziland, southern Africa, to London and Hollywood

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The World in Seven Objects

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THE WORLD IN SEVEN OBJECTS Photography by Louisa Parry

UNIQUE OBJECTS EACH TELL A STORY OF THEIR TIME, FROM A SWISS VINTAGE SKI POSTER TO A CALIFORNIAN E-BIKE THAT’S REVOLUTIONIZING URBAN TRANSPORT. HERE WE PRESENT SEVEN WONDERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD FOR YOUR DELIGHT

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The black noodle One of the more unusual trends to hit the food blogosphere this year is a global obsession with black foods. The seeds of this phenomenon are thought to have been planted in 2015 when Burger King Japan introduced its Kuro Burger, the bun and cheese of which are tinted with bamboo charcoal. Since then, culinary mavericks around the world have proudly displayed their own take on black foods, from Melbourne bakery Lune, which started making squid ink and cumin croissants, to the black ice cream sold by Morgenstern Finest Ice Cream shop in New York.

In the case of the latter, the inky color is achieved using harmless coconut ash (the charred remains of a coconut shell). Generally speaking, black pasta, burgers and hot dogs have been transformed using that old Italian favorite, squid ink, while black ice-cream cones, meringues and cakes are mainly made using food coloring. In some cases, however, the dark coloring comes from a type of charcoal powder, as unappetizing as this sounds. There’s even a restaurant in Indonesia, Black Pempek, which claims to be a “pioneer of black charcoal” with a number of sooty-looking dishes gracing the menu.

Of course, enjoying these dusky delicacies does require a change of mindset, as our brains have been trained to view black on our plate as signifying burnt and possibly carcinogenic food. In the case of one popular black delicacy, however, the cool factor is more than matched by health benefits. Black noodles are having a “moment” and while their chic aesthetic credentials are undeniable, they also happen to be good for you. Made from deep purple and black grain rice, the King Soba noodles pictured not only look dramatic, they are rich in minerals and fiber – as black rice contains several times more protein and minerals than ordinary white rice – and have a deliciously nutty flavor. Black food… coming soon to a plate near you.

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The Fabergé egg This year marks 100 years since Peter Carl Fabergé, goldsmith to the Russian Imperial Court, delivered his last Fabergé Imperial Egg. The Russian Revolution brought an abrupt end to the Romanov dynasty and to the House of Fabergé, with the artist-jeweler and his family forced to flee Russia.

Founded in 1842, the House of Fabergé was the world’s most celebrated name in jewelry, famed primarily for the series of Imperial Easter Eggs created for the Russian Imperial Family between 1885 and 1917. The first of the series, the Hen Egg, was commissioned by Tsar Alexander III in 1885 as a surprise for his wife, the Empress Maria Feodorovna. Crafted from gold, its opaque white enameled shell opened to reveal a “surprise”, a golden hen containing a tiny diamond replica of the Imperial Crown. The egg’s presentation inaugurated an annual event that continued for 31 years. Each egg took a year or more to make, and involved a team of expert craftsmen working in total secrecy. The most expensive was the 1913 Winter Egg, which cost the equivalent of $2.5m in today’s money.

Following its founder’s death in Switzerland, the Fabergé brand might well have been consigned to the annals of history, but in 2007 the company was reborn, once again crafting exquisite jewelry and watches. Of the 50 eggs Fabergé made for the Russian Imperial Court, 43 have survived to the present day, and now the company has revived its tradition of creating these muchcoveted objets d’art. It recently launched the Fabergé Four Seasons Eggs, a one-of-a-kind series. Despite being only four inches high, the Winter Egg pictured right comprises 6,676 diamonds and 44 aquamarines, and opens to reveal a bespoke jeweled surprise on a mechanically powered podium.

Definitely a gift fit for an empress. faberge.com

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The succulent Until recently, houseplants were considered woefully uncool among the young and hip. Anyone with a hectic social life would surely find it impossible to fit plant-watering into their schedule, and owning an aspidistra or yucca might hamper one’s ability to jet off to Berlin or Tulum at the drop of a hat.

But now hipsters from Williamsburg to The Mission have embraced the houseplant as the ultimate signifier of cool. With one proviso: the plants they favor must thrive on neglect. Enter the succulent, a plant that positively demands not to be watered. Succulents come in a dizzying array of shapes and colors, from chartreuse and pink to yellow or even burgundy. Most are easy to grow because they evolved with special water-storage tissues that allow them to survive in environments too dry for most other plants. They love the humidity and warm conditions found in most homes, and can adapt to minimal sunlight. In short, if your previous attempts at keeping a plant alive failed, here, finally, is one that will forgive your flakiness.

Succulents are so on trend, they’ve been used to decorate the catwalks of fashion shows from the likes of Dolce & Gabbana and Kenzo. But with hundreds of different varieties available, which should you choose? The most popular are from the Crassulaceae family, like those pictured, which includes echeveria, sempervivum, aeonium, and graptopetalum. One word of warning: simply owning a succulent isn’t enough; it’s about how you display it. Which is why no self-respecting Williamsburg windowsill is complete without a “terrarium” – the horticultural equivalent of a ship in a bottle – a Victorian invention that creates a microclimate for houseplants. New Yorkers can visit Adore Floral to “custom-pair” an extensive selection of succulents with stylish vessels ranging from bell jars to birch containers, while San Francisco’s Flora Grubb Gardens organizes “potting parties” where guests can create their own aerium or dish garden. The houseplant, it seems, is here to stay.

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The e-bike For anyone concerned about the environment, electric-assisted bicycles represent the future of urban transportation. Combining pedal-power and electric drive, they are emissions-free, helping to cut air pollution and ease urban congestion. And because riding one requires minimal exertion, you can wear smart clothes without arriving looking hot and bedraggled.

In the past, most e-bikes were either ultra-functional and minimalist, or they resembled mountain bikes with a motor stuck on. Now, however, we’re seeing a new breed of head-turning and curvaceous creations such as the Vintage Electric “Tracker” pictured. Based in California’s Silicon Valley, Vintage Electric began making e-bikes three years ago after founder Andrew Davidge built the prototype in his parents’ garage, drawing inspiration from 1920s racing motorcycles. “I started riding it around and everybody wanted one,” Davidge explains. “So I decided to give it a shot. I rented a warehouse and started building bikes. My second design, the Cruz, was inspired by California beach cruisers: big, smooth, like the Cadillac of the e-bike world.”

Davidge’s much-coveted creations, which have a top speed of 36 mph and a range of 35 miles between charges, were an instant hit, snapped up by everyone from Silicon Valley CEOs to the Prince of Monaco. With demand rising, the company is now moving from a 2,500 sq ft workshop to one that’s 11,000 sq ft. And the e-bike sector received a further boost in January when new Californian legislation came in distinguishing electric-assisted bicycles from mopeds, meaning e-bikes no longer require a license and insurance.

“In the U.S.,” says Davidge, “everything was designed for the automobile.

Urban centers are more spread out, and with a traditional bicycle it can take a lot of effort to get from one end of a town to another. With an e-bike you can travel longer distances and you’ll often get to places quicker than in a car.

We believe the e-bike is going to radically change the way people get from point A to point B.” vintageelectricbikes.com, fullycharged.com

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The color As Vogue reported earlier this year: “No matter how many we encounter, there is just something about a sunset that ignites the imagination. And this has got designers thinking, too; from yellow to fiery orange and cinnamon, there isn’t one color this spring but an ombré of glowing sunset hues.”

After decades in the fashion wilderness, it seems orange is suddenly the color du jour. In marked contrast to the restrained and tasteful greys and blues that have held sway on the catwalk in recent years, sunset hues have been turning up in fashion and interiors features with a regularity not seen since the pop art-inspired days of the 1960s.

Orange has a profound significance in many cultures. In the East, where robes ranging from dark yellow to burnt amber are worn by monks and holy men, it’s a color that suggests spirituality and contemplation due to its connection with Hinduism and Buddhism. In the West, it is typically used by advertisers and designers to signify excitement, warmth and fun.

With color specialist Pantone singling out various shades of red as key colors for this year and next, expect to see plenty of bold and bright fabrics livening up the rails of your favored boutiques. Already spotted on the catwalks of Fendi and Hermès, Altuzarra and Sonia Rykiel, oranges and warm reds look set to really reach their peak in 2017. And if you’re wondering what to wear them with, the highly effective teaming of burnt amber with deep blue – the ultimate sunset combination – was a highlight on the Céline runway and has also been seen on prints by Victoria Beckham.

This fiery and vibrant palette is all about projecting a sense of confidence, action and positive non-conformism. Our guess is, we’ll be seeing more of it. After all, who doesn’t love a sunset?

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The ski poster In January of this year, a 1934 poster advertising the wintry charms of alpine resort Gstaad sold at auction for nearly $108,814, a world record for a vintage ski poster. The sum paid came as a shock even to its auctioneers, Christie’s, who had offered a guide price of around $15,000.

Christie’s now holds sales of vintage ski posters twice a year, and the prices realized have been rising steadily – evidence of a growing fascination with these distinctive artifacts. Originally printed in runs of 1,000 or 2,000, advertising posters provide a visual record of the development of ski resorts around the world, from Chamonix to Aspen. Their bold designs have seen them become valuable collectibles – particularly prized by owners of ski chalets who either want to display them in their chalets or back home, as a reminder of their winter retreat.

London antiquarian booksellers Henry Sotheran Ltd. began specializing in buying and selling vintage ski posters (such as the 1951 poster by Edward Lancaster pictured) about ten years ago, and it now organizes a poster exhibition every November. According to Richard Shepherd of Sotheran’s Print Department, “Vintage ski posters are growing ever more popular, especially those from the 1920s and 1930s. They were displayed in railways stations and travel agents, and often thrown away at the end of the season, which is why so few survive in good condition.”

Vintage ski posters range in price from around $200 to $5,000, but they typically go for about $1,000. And while some buyers are drawn to them for their investment potential, Shepherd puts the posters’ popularity down more to their evocative and romantic quality: “They offer a kind of pictorial history of the world of skiing,” he says, “and they’re a wonderful reminder of a golden age of travel.” sotherans.co.uk

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The embellished heel It’s exactly 30 years since Paul Simon released his iconic album Graceland, which featured the memorable couplet: “People say she’s crazy, she got diamonds on the soles of her shoes/Well, that’s one way to lose these walking blues.” And while the singer’s surreal footwear concept is yet to be fully realized (to our knowledge), this season has seen something not dissimilar hitting the catwalks: the rise of the jewel-encrusted or embellished heel.

Following on from a rash of increasingly eye-catching trends that have livened up the footwear world over the past three years – from square heels through to the “sculptural” shapes presented by designers such as Nicholas Kirkwood, Dior and Jason Wu – fashion fans have recently witnessed an explosion in heels embedded with gems, shells, feathers and flowers.

To accommodate a truly dramatic display of decoration, this season’s styles have tended to be quite substantial (like the Aquazzura Cleopatra sandals with a retro block heel pictured), but this trend is less about the shape of the heels and more about what’s on them, from the bejewelled stilettos released by Miu Miu to more playful variations from the likes of Charlotte Olympia, whose “Mechanical Merylin” wedges are decorated with metallic cogs and wheels, and Sophia Webster, whose rainbow-hued collections have featured pom-poms, tassels and raffia fringes. Dolce & Gabbana have trumped them all, though, with their “Black Jacquard T-strap Mary Jane With Window Pane Pump”, which boasts hinged glass doors on the heel that open to reveal a sacred heart adorned with pearls and beading: a shoe that even Liberace might have deemed “a little on the flamboyant side”.

Generally speaking though, this trend has been most successful when it has focused on clear gems. Proof, perhaps, that like the heroine of Paul Simon’s song, you can be bling from your head to your feet. aquazzura.com

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BACK TO THE

VERY BEGINNING Words by Douglas Rogers Photography by Ed Kashi

JUST OUTSIDE WASHINGTON IS AN AREA RICH IN STORIES THAT GO TO THE HEART OF HOW AMERICA BEGAN. WE JOURNEY THROUGH THE ROLLING HILLS AND HISTORIC TOWNS OF VIRGINIA, TO THE BUCOLIC LAND THAT NINE PRESIDENTS HAVE CALLED HOME

The Journey

Scenic Piedmont Previous page: With its verdant valleys and gently rolling countryside, Upperville is the heart of Virginia’s horse country. Above: the Katherine Riedel Gallery in Waterford, Virginia

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wo years ago, a friend I hadn’t seen in years phoned me from Washington, D.C. He was in the city on business and knew I lived in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, but he said he didn’t have time to visit “the South”. I told him something that surprised him. “You’re in the South, Jonny. Look out of your hotel window. That’s Virginia on the other side of the Potomac River. I live 50 miles west of there. Tell me when you’re free, and I’ll take you on a drive. It’s another country out here – great characters.”

I understood my friend’s surprise that cool, cosmopolitan D.C. was a Southern city, largely because I had to amend my own hoary clichés about the South when I moved here from New York five years ago to a historic 1733 Quaker village named Waterford, in the Piedmont region of rural northern Virginia. We could see the Blue Ridge, part of the Appalachian Trail, from our front porch.

We’d moved because my wife, a dyed-in-the-wool Yankee, wanted our kids to feel the grass beneath their feet, but still have proximity to D.C. I wanted all the Southern stereotypes: mint juleps, crumbling antebellum mansions, redneck moonshiners tending stills on starlit nights. What we got was something so utterly different it still surprises me today.

The land around us turned out to be far more Hamptons than hillbilly. Luminous green meadows dotted with sheep and horses

stretched to the horizon; historic country homes with wrought-iron gates and oak-shaded driveways stood sentinel on hilltops, like mansions out of Edith Wharton novels. On any given weekend, we would drive winding, stone-fenced country lanes to our local tavern and run into scarlet-jacketed fox hunters riding to hounds. Loudoun, it turned out, was the richest county in America.

But the wider region was rich, too – in history. The land between the Blue Ridge and Route 15, a narrow north-south blacktop that runs 180 miles from Pennsylvania, past Waterford, on down to Charlottesville, Virginia, is one of the most historic corners of the U.S. It’s The Place Where America Happened. No fewer than nine presidents have lived on it or nearby; some of the greatest battles of the Civil War, including Bull Run (first and second) and Antietam, took place here, and world historic documents, from the Declaration of Independence to the Constitution, were either drafted or inspired by events on its route.

My friend had two days to spare, and I took him on the drive I take all visiting friends: a 350-mile loop from the Capitol, west on Route 50, through the chic horse country towns of Middleburg and Upperville (where Jackie Kennedy rode to hounds), and down Skyline Drive on the crest of the Blue Ridge into rural Rappahannock County. We would stop at Montpelier, family home of James Madison, father of the 32

American heartland Above: Wyant’s store, 12 miles west of Charlottesville, Virginia, lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains, near the spectacular 105-mile Skyline Drive

Constitution, then loop back up Route 15, Highway of Presidents, arguably the most eventful road in U.S. history.

I picked him up at the St. Regis, where he was staying, and we did a brief Capitol tour, cruising past the Lincoln Memorial on The Mall, and the Jefferson Monument along the Potomac. No fewer than eight U.S. presidents were born in Virginia, the Old Dominion, including four of the first five. George Washington’s grand estate, Mount Vernon, stands on a high bluff overlooking the Potomac near Alexandria to the south of us; it’s not on our route but it’s an essential stop for any D.C. visitor.

For the first 40 minutes, Route 50 is bumper-to-bumper through the suburban sprawl, but nearing Aldie, a strange thing happens. As if you’ve crossed a border, the development clears, and you’re suddenly in glorious countryside: luminous green fields; forests of maple, oak and birch; the Blue Ridge Mountains shimmering in the distance.

Route 50 meanders 3,000 miles from Maryland, through America’s heartland to California, but the 30 miles where it passes through Aldie, Middleburg, Upperville and Paris in the Piedmont are arguably the most gorgeous 30 miles in Virginia. The towns date back to the 1700s, when the road became a busy route for traders from colonial Georgetown and Alexandria accessing the farms of the Shenandoah Valley across the Blue Ridge. Stables, inns, taverns and mills opened to cater to passing

carriages and horsemen, and as the settlements grew, grand estates sprang up on their outskirts. Today, Middleburg is a sort of Hamptons for the D.C. set, but with horses instead of beaches.

I park outside Country Classics, a raffish boutique selling tweed coats and cravats, and watch as blondes in jodhpurs and leather riding boots step out of mud-splattered Range Rovers. Middleburg is the heart of the Mid-Atlantic show-jumping, steeplechase and fox-hunting scene. Even the coffee shop is called the Giddy Up. We pop into the Red Fox Inn for coffee, the oldest building in town, a low-slung fieldstone “ordinary” from 1729 that reminds me of the Dickensian taverns of London. Above the front desk are gracious thank-you letters signed by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, from visits the former First Lady made here in the early 1980s.

It was Jackie Kennedy who put Middleburg firmly on the map, 20 years prior to penning those letters. When J.F.K. was president, she wanted a weekend retreat from the White House for her and the children. The Kennedys rented Glen Ora, a grand estate south of town, one of those sprawling mansions with oak-shaded driveways. Jackie joined the Orange County Hunt, her kids attended the local pony club, and the paparazzi followed. Middleburg was never the same again.

We pop across the street to The Home Farm Store, a former bank converted into a gourmet food store by Cisco Systems co-founder turned 33

The Journey organic farmer, Sandy Lerner. Everything here is from Lerner’s farm, Ayrshire. After a six-dollar Scotch egg, we motor west. It’s early afternoon and the Blue Ridge shimmers above fields of boxwoods and beech. Then, like a mirage, a red British phone box appears as we enter Upperville.

Welcome to the Hunter’s Head, my favorite country pub.

The tavern is a warren of cozy, low-ceilinged rooms, their walls covered with cartoons of foxes in riding hats. Built as a farmhouse in 1750, it looks like it’s been serving ale to ruddy-faced regulars since George Washington’s time. We tuck into bangers and mash with fresh bread, then walk off lunch in the village. It’s tiny, with the handsome sandstone Trinity Church, a few stone houses hugging the road, and a gun shop selling vintage muskets and Remingtons. As John Updike noted in a 1961 poem for The New Yorker, Upperville is even fancier than Middleburg:

seventh-generation Virginia Brahmin, owner of Welbourne, a 1770s country estate on a rutted dirt road, 15 minutes’ drive away (near the famous Foxcroft School for girls).

Welbourne, a custard-yellow colonnaded mansion on Nat’s 500-acre family horse farm, is a Piedmont mansion that doubles as a guesthouse.

It was turned into an “invitation-only” inn back in 1930 by Nat’s grandmother. Thomas Wolfe and F. Scott Fitzgerald were invitees, and both wrote stories about it. I stay in Wolfe’s room (creaking fourposter) just past the library, where an imposing portrait of Nat’s bearded great-great grandfather, Confederate Colonel Richard H. Dulany, stares at me from the wall. Dulany rode with the great Gray Ghost, guerilla fighter John S. Mosby, in the war, and road signs throughout the Piedmont still venerate “Mosby’s Confederacy”, as the region became known.

You visit Welbourne for warmth and character, not frills. Sherry, Nat’s garrulous Connecticut-born wife, gives us “the tour”: three floors of dust-covered armoires, antique travel chests, shelves cluttered with faded Country Life magazines and leather tomes on war and horses.

Picture Downton Abbey, if Carson, Mrs. Hughes and the rest of the staff had gone to the village fair 30 years ago and never returned. The music room (Nat collects – and plays nothing but – pre-1930s New

In Upperville, the upper crust Say “Bottom’s Up!” from dawn to dusk And “Ups-a-daisy, dear!” at will I want to live in Upperville.

“Mr. Rogers, cocktails in the parlor at 6.45pm. Don’t be late!”

It’s time to meet some local characters, including Nat Morison, 76,

Hunter’s Head Tavern is a warren of low-ceilinged rooms, their walls covered with cartoons of foxes in riding hats.

Built as a farmhouse in 1750, it looks like it’s been serving ale to ruddy-faced regulars since George Washington’s time

History in the making Above: a letter from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to the Red Fox Inn in Middelburg. Opposite: rustic beauty and old-world charm characterize this historical region just outside Washington, D.C.

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That’s the spirit Above: Set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, the Piedmont town of Sperryville is home to the Copper Fox Distillery, which produces award-winning ryes and whiskies

Orleans jazz 78s) has a still-working Aeolian Vocalion gramophone and an out-of-tune 1907 Steinway. “It’s the eternal question,” Sherry sighs.

“Fix the pipes or the piano?”

To me, this sounds like an unmistakably English sensibility, but when I mention this over cocktails (Virginia Gentleman bourbon on the rocks), Nat bellows at me like I’m crazy. “England? How would I know?

I’ve never been out of America – except to New Orleans.”

In the morning, we motor south, leaving Route 50 for Fauquier County on a narrow, stone-fenced lane towards The Plains. A promising sun is burning off yesterday’s cold, and the land changes subtly here, becoming flatter and drier, yellow grass in open fields making it resemble Montana. The Plains are aptly named. The actor Robert Duvall has a horse farm here and is a regular at the local Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase in May, the Piedmont social event of the year. My Waterford neighbor,Tom, a political consultant, tells me he does more business in one afternoon at the Gold Cup than he does in a month at the Capitol.

It’s time to hit the Blue Ridge, and from The Plains we drive due west, detouring through the orchards, hollows and deer-specked valleys of Naked Mountain, part of Sky Meadows State Park, before accessing Skyline Drive at the resolutely blue-collar Front Royal. Built in the 1930s as a public works project, Skyline Drive is a spectacular 105-mile

traverse running north-south through Shenandoah National Park on the crest of the Blue Ridge. There are 75 cliff-edge viewing points on its course and low hanging oaks and willows form a natural tunnel part of the way. To me, Skyline Drive is more than a road; it’s a barrier and symbol. Below, to the west, the Shenandoah Valley, its great river a muddy snake on the plains, is the start of the American heartland, while down to the east, the Piedmont, as green and delicate as a country garden, clings to the ways and manners of the Old World.

Skyline Drive ends in the town of Charlottesville, home of another Virginia President, Thomas Jefferson, author of the original American document, the Declaration of Independence. His majestic plantation, Monticello, which he built in French Revival-style, stands atop a hill overlooking a sea of green forest. Somehow, 230 years of development in the nation he helped found have not encroached on his view.

We don’t have time for Charlottesville, though, and instead keep it local, exiting Skyline Drive on Route 211 at Thornton Gap, descending into Sperryville, a river-splashed Piedmont farming town somnolent in the shadows of the Blue Ridge. Seventy years ago this was a bustling outpost, last stop before the mountain for traffic heading south-west to New Orleans and beyond. Then, in the 1950s, the highway was built at Front Royal, and Sperryville fell into slumber. In retrospect, it saved the 36

A home fit for a president

VII Photo

Above: the neoclassical facade of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s majestic 5,000-acre estate in Charlottesville, where the author of the Declaration of Independence was born and raised

town. Today, it’s a bucolic retreat with a creative subculture of organic farmers, artists, chefs and artisans. I make my way to the River Arts District, former apple-packing sheds on the Thornton River, converted into studios, galleries, and a tapas restaurant.

The highlight is the Copper Fox Distillery, where fortysomething Rick Wasmund makes award-winning ryes and whiskeys using a unique technique: he accelerates the aging of his spirits by adding a sachet of small “chips” of charred wood (oak, apple, and cherry) to the aging barrel, increasing the wood surface area. The result is astonishing: rich, smoky spirits with a delicate, fruity finish. I ask him how he came by the method, and he tells me he was caretaker at an old mansion in Middleburg that had eight fireplaces. “I had to light them every night, and I got to experimenting with smoke and wood, which got me to thinking about whiskey.” A brief stint at a distillery in Scotland and, lo, an idea was born.

We consider the power of ideas an hour later. We have taken the scenic 231 South for an hour and found our way to another presidential home: Montpelier, home of James Madison, the fourth president.

A handsome two-floor neoclassical mansion on a 2,500-acre estate, Montpelier was built by Madison’s father in 1764, and remained in the family until 1840. In 1901, it was bought by the duPont industrialists, who added a garish mural to its façade and a steeplechase track – as you

do. But in 2008, after a painstaking $24-million restoration, it was returned to the way it originally looked back in Madison’s day.

From the second-floor library, I look out on the same incomparable Blue Ridge view Madison had surveyed in 1786 as he considered all those weighty questions. A towering intellectual, he read more than 400 books in seven languages while he was drafting the documents that would form the basis for the U.S. Constitution, including, as our guide explained, texts in original Latin, Hebrew and Greek. “They don’t make ’em like that anymore,” someone next to me mumbles.

It’s late afternoon by the time we double back on to Route 15, now part of The Journey Through Hallowed Ground national heritage area that links Jefferson’s Monticello to the Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania, 180 miles to the north. Several other battles took place at points along its route including Manassas, site of the First Battle of Bull Run, the brutal first big clash of the Civil War. Waterford, my own town, lies just off it. I take Jonny to see it before driving him back to the St. Regis in D.C. We sit on the porch sipping a bourbon as the sun sets over Blue Ridge. For some reason I think of New York City and the big move south. I have no regrets. I’m in Virginia, where America began.

Your address: The St. Regis Washington, D.C. 37

A Little Place I Know ADDRESS-BOOK SECRETS FROM LUMINARIES OF THE WORLDS OF FASHION, TRAVEL AND CULTURE

A museum of Islamic antiquities in Cairo

by Dr. Zahi Hawass Gayer-Anderson Museum, Ahmed Ibn Tolon, sca-egypt.org/eng/MUS_Gayer-Anderson.htm

The Gayer-Anderson Museum is situated right next to the oldest mosque in Cairo, Ibn Tulun. The building it’s housed in has had many owners over the years, one of whom was a woman from Crete, which is how it became known as Beit al-Kritliyya [“house of the Cretan woman”]. It actually consists of two houses. Between them there’s a passage leading to the eastern door of the mosque. When I was young, I used to travel from my village to stay with my aunt. I would visit the pyramids and then play soccer with friends in the streets around this house. The first time I saw it, something about it touched my heart. Its architecture is truly unique. The museum itself takes its name from Major R.G. Gayer-Anderson, an English army officer who in 1935 wrote a letter to the Committee of Arab Antiquities asking to live in the house. He told them he would furnish it in Islamic style, and fill it with precious antiquities. He also promised that, when he died, he would leave everything to them. The committee approved and Anderson began collecting Islamic furniture and artifacts from Egypt, Syria, Asia, Persia, China and Europe. He lived there until 1942, when he was forced to leave Egypt due to ill health. The houses were turned into a museum about 40 years ago. My favorite exhibits are the ostrich egg and the mazwalla [sundial] found in the mosque of Ibn Qalawun, which was used as a watch to announce the time for prayer. I also love the objects that belonged to Gayer-Anderson, displayed in his office, such as his gramophone, typewriter, bottles, personal photographs and a decree from King Farouk. It’s a fascinating window into the past.

A vintage perfume shop in Bangkok

by Simon Westcott Karmakamet, Chatuchak Weekend Market, facebook.com/karmakamet

This tiny little perfume shop is the sort of place you really have to look out for. Actually, you’ll probably smell it before you see it. Inside, it feels like an old-fashioned Thai pharmacy, full of dark wood shelving with scratched mirrored walls and medicine cabinets stocked with the most beautiful candles, fragrances and perfumes. The brand has been around since the 1970s, and the shop since 2001, selling the most intoxicating melange of essential oils, room fragrances, perfumes and all things scent-related. Although they use ingredients from all over the world, there’s a distinctly Asian influence in their scents, which include East Indian Sandalwood, Silver Needle White Tea and Siamese Lemongrass Peppermint. Each product comes in such beautiful vintage, hand-made packaging that you almost don’t want to open it. I’ve got so addicted to their scents that whenever I’m in Bangkok, I stock up.

Products I buy most are the room diffusers, in scents like the earthy, masculine Egyptian Fig and zingy, fresh Pomegranate; travel candles, which I take wherever I go; and stashes of things to give as gifts. Last time I bought a Siamese Lemongrass Peppermint candle, and whenever I light it, I’m transported back to leisurely evenings in Thailand, sitting in the warm, heady heat listening to the cry of a nearby gecko. Lots of brands have tried to emulate it, but this place is the real deal.

Archaeologist Dr. Zahi Hawass is the former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Your address: The St. Regis Cairo

Simon Westcott is head of Luxe City Guides, which offers sophisticated, opinionated pocket-sized guides to 36 cities around the globe Your address: The St. Regis Bangkok 38

An Istanbul emporium of objects for bathing

by Rıfat Özbek Abdulla, beside Fez Café, Grand Bazaar, abdulla.com

If I had to recommend just one shop in Istanbul it would be Abdulla, on Halicilar Street in the Grand Bazaar. It’s a totally unique shopping experience that offers the best of traditional and contemporary Turkey.

The bulk of what Abdulla sells was made especially for the hammam, or Turkish steam bath. He has the very finest quality hand-loomed peshtemals, or Turkish towels, which are 100 per cent natural cotton, luxuriously thick and tasseled. He has such a beautiful range, all neatly folded in perfect little piles. As well as stocking specialist objects for the hammam, such as takunyas (wooden hammam slippers), keten zincir (scrubbing mitts), ponza (scrubbing brushes) and tas (small metal bowls), Abdulla also sells robes, scarves, hand thrown ceramics and a few fun pieces and divine vintage treasures that may include a rare piece of tribal jewelry or clothing. His soaps have a great following because they are 100 per cent natural, made with olive oil and scented with herbs and flowers: juniper, sandalwood, nettle, almond, citronella. He really has done all the work for you when it comes to sourcing and manufacturing using the best local craftsmanship. Once you’ve browsed his wonderful wares you can pop next door to his Fes Café, with its wonderful old brick arched ceilings, for delicious traditional treats such as baklava and sweet apple pie, accompanied, perhaps, by a cup of thick Turkish coffee or fresh mint tea, served on a beautiful old metal tray, with a glass of water and a little toothpick with a square of delicious lokum, or Turkish delight. A lovely way to end a shopping trip.

A South Indian restaurant in Mumbai

by Naeem Khan

Illustrations: Dan Williams

Trishna, Sai Baba Marg, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, trishna.co.in

Rıfat Özbek is a Turkish fashion designer who transforms vintage fabrics into cushions sold at Yastik in Istanbul, Le Bon Marché in Paris and Dwell in New York Your address: The St. Regis Istanbul

I first ate at Trishna ten years ago, and now whenever I’m back in Mumbai I just have to go there. The restaurant is hidden away in a back street in the Kala Ghoda area, which has a lot of art galleries and cafés. It’s been there for about 50 years and is owned by a family from Mangalore, which is on the coast in South India. As Mumbai restaurants go, it’s not particularly cool or fashionable, but it serves the best food in the world. The first time I went to Trishna I was a bit surprised – the furniture is basic, it’s quite dark, with pictures of Mangalore and a large fish tank – but I’d heard so much about it from my brothers I thought, “OK, I’m willing to experiment.” Since then it has become a bit of a hotspot, with a more international clientele, though the décor hasn’t changed. The menu mainly consists of Konkani or Mangalorean cuisine, so there’s a lot of fish and seafood.

The best thing is the giant crabs. The way they prepare them with chili and garlic is just incredible. For me, Trishna is the taste of India. It’s not northern Indian cooking, which is predominantly Mughal, it’s South Indian, which means things like light coconut curries, steamed lentils, seafood and grilled fish, so it’s much healthier. It’s spicy though, which I love. For Indian food to be really special the ingredients have to be totally fresh. At Trishna you can tell that the coconuts have just been picked and the spices are all freshly ground. The crabs couldn’t be fresher: they actually bring a huge live crab to your table before they cook it. These days I go to Trishna about twice a year, usually for a family gathering. My brothers and sisters and I have been going there for 10 years, so it has a lot of happy memories. Going there has become a kind of joyful family ritual, with delicious food.

Naeem Khan is an Indian-American fashion designer based in New York Your address: The St. Regis Mumbai 39

Interview FASHION DESIGNER JASON WU BEGAN HIS CAREER MAKING CLOTHES FOR DOLLS. THESE DAYS HIS GOWNS ADORN A WHO’S WHO OF A-LIST FEMALE CELEBRITIES, INCLUDING MICHELLE OBAMA

and these relationships mean a lot to him. “The idea of red carpet dressing has become so commercialized but we are an independent brand, so for us the relationship is meaningful, not just an endorsement.”

Part of the appeal is that Wu’s clothes are not too aggressively trend-led, which gives them a more lasting appeal. He’s also a firm believer in the value of luxury, talking at length about this much-debated concept. “Luxury isn’t something that only lasts for one season,” he says. “It’s timeless and it takes time to create. I believe we should move away from trying to be the fastest or first – it should be things of substance we invest in.”

Since 2013, while creating his own line, Wu has been a creative director at Hugo Boss, overseeing the entire womenswear range. The appointment was greeted with a certain amount of surprise: after all, Wu’s gowns are all old-school glamour and femininity whereas Hugo Boss has a reputation for streamlined womenswear with a masculine edge. Yet it was that contrast that drew Wu to the project in the first place. “I like the fact that it’s not somewhere people would have placed me,” he declares.

Luxury and elegance, always interpreted with a contemporary sensibility, run through both collections, which is why Wu is drawn to show in spaces that embody these qualities. In the past, he has chosen to show his collections at The St. Regis New York, which reminds him of the 1950s: the era he would most like to return to. “I love it,” he says. “The shape, the clothes: it was a really glamorous time. Not just the fashion, but refrigerators, cars, furniture; the whole thing to me is irresistible.” In fact, after showing at the hotel in 2010 (“It’s so refined – I loved showing my collection in such a landmark”), Wu became an ambassador for the brand – a St. Regis Connoisseur – and has, to date, designed a bag and scarf for St. Regis.

His creative ambitions don’t end there: in addition to designing four collections a year for his own line and four for Hugo Boss, he wants to expand the Jason Wu line, “to really establish a lifestyle brand”. Despite his hectic schedule, Wu did recently manage to squeeze in a family reunion holiday at The St. Regis Bali Resort. “It was great,” he sighs. “The first time we’d all been together in a decade; everyone is just so busy.” Sadly, it may be some time before the next get-together. When asked about his work-life balance, he lets out a rueful laugh. “I don’t have one! But then, I’m not sure any designer would say they do. I’m not too upset about it. My work is my life, it’s my passion. So for now the work-life balance will have to wait.”

“Luxury isn’t something that only lasts for one season. It’s timeless and it takes time to create. We should move away from trying to be the fastest or first – it should be things of substance we invest in”

King of the red carpet Words by Nadia Balame-Price

Getty Images, Dan Lecca

S

eated at the rustic boardroom table of his studio in the heart of New York’s Garment District, Jason Wu appears calm and relaxed, not at all like someone who has just shown two collections at New York fashion week: a ready-to-wear line for Hugo Boss and his eponymous line, Jason Wu. But don’t let the calm exterior deceive you. This is a man whose drive and ambition saw him designing dresses for dolls as a child in his native Taiwan, a hobby that led to the creation of the Fashion Royalty doll collection, right through to designing the dress that Michelle Obama wore to the 2009 Inauguration Ball, and to his current heady heights as one of the world’s leading designers. That inauguration dress is now in the Smithsonian Museum, which to Wu sums up the scale of his achievement. “When I moved to America to be a fashion designer, I never imagined I’d become part of American history,” he said last year.

Making clothes for dolls gave Wu a grounding not only in the creative side of fashion but also in manufacturing, marketing, intellectual property, business – the many pieces of the jigsaw that make up a successful brand. It was only a matter of time before he would graduate to full-scale frocks. In 2007, at the age of 25, the designer – who had moved to New York seven years previously to attend Parsons School of Fashion – launched his first ready-to-wear collection, instantly catching the eye of the most powerful woman in the fashion industry, U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour. “At the time I was starting out there was a lot of streetwear around,” he recalls. “It was a lot edgier than what I do, which is uptown and polished. But Anna and the team were very supportive. It helped me embrace my aesthetic and gain the self-confidence to be different.”

Wu’s description of his signature style as “uptown and polished” certainly hits the mark – no wonder Michelle Obama became a fan. “Having anyone in the public eye support you is instrumental to a brand,” he says, “but when it’s someone like the First Lady, it’s an incredible honor.”

Wu credits his mother, a bestselling author in Taiwan, with teaching him about style and the profound empathy he feels towards women. “I really care about the way a woman feels in my clothes,” he says. “I think that’s very important, because if a dress isn’t about the woman wearing it, what is it about?” Women, in turn, respond to the wearability and femininity of his clothes. Actresses Lupita Nyong’o, Jessica Chastain, Michelle Williams and longtime muse Diane Kruger all wear Jason Wu on the red carpet,

Jason Wu

Old-school glamour Jason Wu (center right) says that wearability is key to his collections – women like the femininity and glamour of his designs, from crocodile-skin baguettes (top right) to lace-embellished red carpet frocks (bottom right)

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Smart Packing

HIGH LIFE Your address: The St. Regis Dubai

D-frame acetate and gold-tone sunglasses, $650, Thom Browne, thombrowne.com Wide brim straw hat with black trim, $305, Lock & Co Hatters, lockhatters.co.uk

MH40 headphones, $400, Master & Dynamic, masterdynamic.com

Tan leather card holder, $200, Shinola, shinola.com

Printed cotton shirt, $100, Club Monaco, clubmonaco.com

Navy blue cotton twill shorts, $265, Orlebar Brown, orlebarbrown.co.uk

Brown polished leather belt, $710, Berluti, berluti.com 42

Zinc travel spray case, $95, Maison Francis Kurkdjian available at mrporter.com

Intrecciato suede slip-on sneakers, $680, Bottega Veneta, bottegaveneta.com

Alamy

SOARING SKYSCRAPERS, COOL ART GALLERIES, GLAMOROUS BOUTIQUES – A CITY BREAK TO DUBAI REQUIRES A WARDROBE THAT KEEPS YOU LOOKING STYLISH FROM MORNING TO NIGHT

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AKRIS

A PREMIER SHOPPING AND DINING DISTRICT ON PEACHTREE ROAD Six city blocks of fashion favorites and first-to-market finds HERMÈS | TOM FORD | DIOR | CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN | LE BILBOQUET | DOLCE ITALIAN PREMIERING SOON: AMERICAN CUT | ROBERT TALBOT | TAVERNA Bordering Peachtree, East Paces Ferry and Pharr Roads | Valet Parking | Gift Cards Available | TheShopsBuckheadAtlanta.com

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Smart Packing

jacket

by Fendi

There is only one way to experience the sublime quality of Bomber skis – firsthand.

Handcrafted in an artisan race lab in Italy, every pair is the ultimate blend of craftsmanship and technology. And whether you’re a novice, an expert, a racer or a powder maven, we invite you to discover the exhilaration of passion and performance. There’s nothing like it.

BomBer Ski. official Supplier to the u.S. and canadian Ski teamS. 44

bomberski.com • NYC HQ: 212.980.2442

Smart Packing

K2 Remedy 75 junior skis, $370, evo.com

Junior X Max 68 ski boots, $160, Salomon, snowandrock.com

Silver water-resistant ski gloves, $26, Barts, alexandalexa.com

Diva blue mica ski jacket with removable hood, $135, Mini A Ture, miniature.com

Green stretch salopettes, $300, Phenix, available at theskishopajax.com

Black and multi-colored bubble backpack, $85, Madpax, madpax.com

Children’s ski goggles, $30, Uvex, uvex.com

BABY SLOPES

Alamy

PLANNING A FAMILY SKIING TRIP THIS WINTER? MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS ARE ALL SET FOR ADVENTURE ON THE SLOPES WITH THE VERY BEST CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT

Your address: The St. Regis Deer Valley 45

BEACH BELLE

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RELAXING ON THE BEACH AT THE ST. REGIS BALI RESORT, WITH SWAYING PALMS BEHIND YOU AND STUNNING VIEWS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN, YOU’LL WANT TO LOOK AS GOOD AS YOU FEEL

Your address: The St. Regis Bali Resort

Gold-plated bird drop earrings, $400, Chloe, chloe.com Wicker and cotton top-handle tote bag, $3,375, Dolce & Gabbana, dolcegabbana.com

Carina tasseled suede wedge espadrilles, $240, Castañer, castaner.com

Long-sleeve carnation-print voile dress, $2,132, Erdem, erdem.com

Round-frame tortoiseshell sunglasses, $565, Cutler and Gross, cutlerandgross.com

White straw Panama hat with colored pompoms, $150, Sensi Studio, sensistudio.com 46

Blue crochet one-piece swimsuit, $315, Kiini, kiini.com

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ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA | NEVADA NEW JERSEY | NEW YORK | PENNSYLVANIA | TEXAS | WASHINGTON www.robertgraham.us 47

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Rectangular leather clutch with zip, $880, Victoria Beckham, victoriabeckham.com

Gold and diamond round drop earrings, $12,500, Jennifer Meyer at Barneys, barneys.com

Gipsy Water eau de parfum, $150, Byredo, byredo.com

D-framed tortoiseshell sunglasses, $219, Sheriff & Cherry, sheriffandcherry.com

Oversize cashmere coat, $5,390, Max Mara, maxmara.com

Zimmerman burgundy lace dress, $1,650, exclusively at net-a-porter.com

CIAO BELLA

Suede sandals, $795, Gianvito Rossi, gianvitorossi.com

Gold-plated watch with brown leather strap, $850, Gucci, gucci.com

Getty Images

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY IN ITALY DEMANDS A WARDROBE THAT IS AS ARCHITECTURAL AS ITS BUILDINGS. DON’T WORRY, WE’VE GOT IT COVERED

Your address: The St. Regis Florence 48

Smart Packing

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THE NEW

GOLD RUSH Photography by Daniela Federici Styling by Mark Connolly

ART, GLAMOUR AND URBAN CHIC ARE THE HALLMARKS OF THE ST. REGIS SAN FRANCISCO. WHAT BETTER BACKDROP FOR OUR FALL FASHION STORY, WHICH FEATURES A THOROUGHLY MODERN TAKE ON SHARP TAILORING AND SLEEK SEPARATES, IN RICH SHADES SHOT THROUGH WITH METALLIC ACCENTS

Right: Dolce & Gabbana black and gold metallic jacket, $4,595, dolcegabbana.com, Tiffany & Co. earrings, $1,850, T ring, $1,600 and snake ring $1,450, tiffany.com

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Left: BCBGMAXAZRIA dress, $498, bcbg.com, Carolina Amato gloves, POA, carolinaamato.com, Altuzarra earrings, POA, altuzarra.com, Furla bangles, POA, furla.com. Above: 3.1 Phillip Lim top, $695, 31philliplim.com, Dita sunglasses $750, dita.com, Carolina Amato gloves, POA, carolinaamato.com, Alexis Bittar bracelet, $425, alexisbittar.com, Bottega Veneta bag, $9,000, bottegaveneta.com

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Above: Burberry dress, $2,995, burberry.com. Eddie Borgo earrings, $275, nordstrom.com. Right: Prabal Gurung dress, $2,150, bergdorfgoodman.com, Devi Kroell bag, $2,500, devikroell.com, Sophia Webster shoes, $825, saksfifthavenue.com, Wolford tights, $49, wolford.com, Alexis Bittar earrings, POA, alexisbittar.com, Eddie Borgo ring, $225, saksfifthavenue.com

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Left: Prada dress, $6,410, prada.com, Tiffany & Co. cuff, $15,000, T ring, $1,600, and snake ring, $1,450, tiffany.com. Above: 3.1 Phillip Lim jumpsuit, $995, 31philliplim.com, Wolford bodysuit, $260, wolford.com, Falke tights, $38, falke.com, Malone Souliers shoes, $850, net-a-porter.com, Tiffany & Co. bracelet (left arm), $8,500, tiffany.com, Furla bracelets, furla.com Hair & Make up by Melissa Rogers for TheOnly.Agency using Charlotte Tilbury, model: Alexis Hutt at Scout

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Honeymoons

Another fine romance Words by Tina Gaudoin Illustrations by Iker Ayestarán

ONCE, A HONEYMOON WAS A HONEYMOON. THESE DAYS, THERE ARE COUNTLESS DIFFERENT WAYS TO CELEBRATE YOUR ROMANTIC UNION – FROM “MINI-MOONS” TO “ADVENTURE-MOONS”. WE TAKE A LIGHT-HEARTED LOOK AT THE OPTIONS

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The Trend

The classic honeymoon

The baby-moon

It seemed to Franz and Samantha that all their friends went to The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort on honeymoon. Thus, they reasoned, The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort in the French Polynesian Islands would be something different to Instagram home about. They’re not disappointed.

From the moment Sam’s Bottega Veneta-shod feet alight from the hotel boat on to the private jetty, the couple are equally charmed and seduced.

They’ve decided to do it in style, booking the Royal Overwater Villa with its plunge pool and steps down to the ocean, from which Franz, who needs to recover from his 12-hour-a-day job as an Asian currency trader, launches himself daily on a three-mile swim. Sam really doesn’t mind. She’s already thinking about ordering her first Bora Mary of the day (the St. Regis hotel first created the Bloody Mary, aka the Red Snapper, in 1934, so they know what they’re doing) and wondering which sushi to eat for her lunch on the Taki Terrace. She slips into her flimsiest Marysia bikini and heads for her private cabana at the Oasis pool. “No children allowed” reads the sign. Just how she likes it, thinks Sam – for the moment.

With the final months of pregnancy approaching, Dylan and Sacha have taken time out to enjoy a pre-baby celebration in Mallorca. For a couple who adore art and worship the tennis racket, the Spanish island is ideal.

Their hotel, The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, happens to be located near Rafael Nadal’s home town – not that Dylan or Sacha ever spot the handsome Spanish tennis god. But knowing he’s around is enough.

Luckily for Dylan, there’s plenty for his pregnant wife to do, including massages at the Arabella spa and viewing the art galleries in Deià. Because, alongside tennis coaching, which the hotel organizes for him, he has rediscovered another passion: cycling. “I’d forgotten how much I love it,” he says, as Sacha eyes his Lycra shorts dubiously. “Enjoy it,” she says, “because once the baby comes, there won’t be time for long bike rides.” Dylan, like all advertising types, can read between the lines. “I won’t be too long,” he says. “Excellent,” says Sacha, with a triumphant smile. “Because I’ve booked a table at Simply Fosh for an early supper, then I thought we could talk nursery colors.” As he pedals away, Dylan sees his life flashing before him.

St. Regis destinations, other than The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, that Samantha and Franz considered for their honeymoon: The St. Regis Mauritius Resort, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort

St. Regis destinations, other than The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, that Dylan and Sacha considered for their baby-moon: The St. Regis San Francisco and The St. Regis Bali Resort

For a couple who adore art and worship the tennis racket, the Spanish island of Mallorca, home of Rafael Nadal, is ideal

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Honeymoons

The mini-moon

out of The St. Regis Lhasa Resort, with its Gold Energy Spa Pool, its view of the DL’s former home and its fabulous Si Zi Kang restaurant. Dressed in their travel uniform of Banana Republic khaki combats, crisp white Ralph Lauren shirts and Tod’s loafers, the couple take in the sights – a trip to the Rongbuk Monastery at the foot of Everest and the 1,300-year-old Jokhang Temple – before bartering for Buddha statues, joss sticks and prayer beads in Barkhor Street market nearby. Almost as good for the soul as the full-body massage at the hotel spa. “Now, that,” they murmur, post-massage, as they float dreamily in the Golden Energy Pool, “was truly spiritual.”

Jed and Susan had been just too busy for a proper honeymoon with all the stress of launching their digital startup. But, six months into their marriage, tempers are frayed. “We’ve just gotta get away,” Jed says to Susan. Well, he doesn’t actually say it. During the day, he and Susan communicate via SMS from consecutive floors of the tiny office building they rent. Susan’s response is as effusive as one might expect from a woman running a website: “OK.” And then, as an afterthought: “X.” San Francisco is the natural choice: confirmed urbanites, they’ve long cast themselves as Silicon Valley-philes, and now they’re going to party like them. Strolling out from The St. Regis San Francisco, they launch themselves into the hip Mission district for tacos at La Taqueria, ogle art at SFMOMA, and in HaightAshbury, discover a shop, The Booksmith, that sells ancient artifacts from days gone by: books. “Remember this?” says Jed, picking up a copy of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. Susan fishes her iPhone from her Céline Trio bag to Instagram her husband holding the book. “Honey,” Jed says, “Yosemite is only a drive away. Maybe we need to get back to nature?”

St. Regis destinations, other than The St. Regis Lhasa Resort that Lisa and Ronald considered for their adventure-moon: The St. Regis Princeville Resort and The St. Regis Cairo

The second-moon James and Sunita first honeymooned 20 years ago in Los Angeles – and remember it well. Both film buffs, they toured Hollywood studios, trekked up to The Sign, and even strolled together on The Walk of Fame. When, two (adult) children later, the couple want to “do it over” and celebrate the fact they’ve made it this far (unlike most of their friends), they want somewhere with a similar feel, but more exotic – like Bollywood. If in Hollywood they felt energetic, in Mumbai they’re positively on fire. This really is a city that never sleeps, and at The St. Regis Mumbai the couple really feel in the thick of it. Having toured the Bollywood film studios and taken a trip out to the 5th-century caves on Elephanta Island, they feel entitled just to hang out in their Gucci outfits in the hotel’s 40th-floor Asilo bar, sipping Aperol spritzes and gazing appreciatively out at the view.

Tomorrow they’ll visit the famous Spice Market in the morning, with a synchronized full-body massage at the Four Senses spa in the afternoon.

If this isn’t utter New India-style luxury, then they don’t know what is.

St. Regis destinations, other than The St. Regis San Francisco, that Jed and Susan considered for their mini-moon: The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, The St. Regis Dubai and The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur

The adventure-moon Lisa can’t really call herself a Buddhist because, well, she’s not 100 per cent sure about reincarnation and she likes a good rare steak. But ever since she saw the Dalai Lama speak at Radio City Music Hall, she’s felt a deep connection. She and her partner Ronald are what they like to call “Big Travelers”. They’ve done the Rajasthan “triangle”, the cherry blossom in Kyoto and salmon spawning in Alaska. But to reaffirm their vows they really want to do something Spiritual with a big S – and what could be more spiritual than visiting the DL’s hometown of Lhasa? That is, if they venture

St. Regis destinations, other than The St. Regis Mumbai, that James and Sunita considered for their second moon: The St. Regis Langkawi and The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort 61

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Rafael Nadal

HOME GAME Words by Neil Harman

RAFAEL NADAL MAY HAVE SPENT HIS TWENTIES PLAYING TENNIS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT HIS HEART IS STILL IN THE BEAUTIFUL MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND WHERE HE WAS BORN

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Interview

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Rafael Nadal

Rafa’s eightysomething grandmother explains that all the men in the family are called Rafael. “We call this one ‘The Tennis Player’. And my husband is ‘The Old’.”

Previous page: Cordon Press/C. Anton Goiri/Camera Press. Opposite page: Alamy, Getty, Inf Photo

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n ancient times, the men of the Balearic islands were famed for their skills with a sling, which they tied around their forehead. It was their only weapon, so they honed their skills relentlessly and, legend has it, rarely missed their mark. The modern-day equivalent is Rafael Nadal, whose finely honed technique has allowed him to spend much of his 15-year professional tennis career hitting all his targets – and becoming, in the process, the youngest player ever to win all four Grand Slams.

Nadal’s birthplace, on June 3, 1986, was Manacor, a bustling town five miles from the east coast of the Spanish island of Mallorca, an hour’s drive from the capital city Palma. Although the island’s population has swelled substantially since he was a boy – thanks to its pretty coastline, perfect climate and sweet mountain air – for someone who knows it as Nadal does, there is plenty of space in which to retreat from the summer crowds.

The 30-year-old still lives a short distance from his birthplace, as do his parents and grandparents, whose three homes not only overlook each other but also the quaint fishing harbor of Porto Cristo. Other than a few small, unpretentious shops and local hotels, plus a handful of cafés and local seafood restaurants, there’s not much to see. But it’s here, when he’s not on the tennis circuit, or swimming and fishing with his friends, that Nadal can be found relaxing and eating grilled fish (one of his favorite places is the nearby Sa Punta restaurant in Son Servera, which he describes as “a perfect spot, given the combination of the sea view, the service and the food”, and where his grandfather, a piano teacher, often entertained the diners).

It’s not just the relaxed atmosphere of Manacor that keeps drawing him back, but the weather. Although in winter the town is often enveloped in eerie, hill-hugging fogs, in summer it’s almost always sunny, which the player loves. “Sun is energy,” Nadal told me once, when I asked why he seemed to be fretting about having to play another indoor tournament.

There’s nothing he hates more than the sense of being cooped up.

Like many others on the island, Nadal’s is a family business. His father Sebastiàn runs his son’s affairs – having encouraged him to play when he was three years old – and his mother, Ana Maria, helms his charitable foundation, the heart and soul of his future. The other people surrounding him have been in his life for years, and are like brothers: his agent, the former Spanish professional, Carlos Costa; his perennial public relations guru, Benito Perez-Barbadillo; and his physiotherapist, Rafael Maymo.

Not that he is the only Rafael Nadal, as his eightysomething grandmother, Isabel, pointed out in a delightful interview for El Partido de las 12. “The true Rafael Nadal is my husband,” she said. “As well as him, we have my son, and two grandsons, all of whom are called Rafael Nadal. We call this Rafael ‘The Tennis Player’. And my husband is ‘The Old’.”

The handsome white contemporary home of “The Tennis Player”, which he had built in 2013, is just up the road from two of his uncles: Toni, who is also his tennis coach, and Miguel Ángel, the former Barcelona central defender, who played for Spain in the 1996 European Football

Championship. It is also near several of Mallorca’s 20 golf courses, which delights the tennis player, who plays off a handicap of four. He is as meticulous about his preparations for golf as he is with tennis, right down to the plasters on the tips of his fingers. I’ve watched him play at Vall D’Or in Porto Colom so late into the December twilight that he could hardly follow the path of the ball – but he kept going, such is his love for the game.

Not that the star lives only for sport. Unlike many international players, who emigrate to tax havens or gated communities once their careers wane, Nadal has invested much of his wealth in trying to make the lives of the people around him richer, too. From his successes – the 69 singles titles, 14 of them in Grand Slam tournaments, helping his country to the Davis Cup, winning an Olympic Gold medal – the tennis star has made enough of a personal fortune to set up the Rafa Nadal Foundation. In its eighth year, it offers educational programs to deprived children with what it calls “a single common denominator: sport”.

This summer, the first six graduates will also start their training in the Rafa Nadal Academy: a center, equipped with 26 courts, that he hopes will become one of the world’s top training facilities and help sustain Spain’s position as a pre-eminent tennis nation. The idea, he says, is not just to make Mallorca a center for sporting excellence, but a place where local children can learn that the relative isolation of island living does not limit prospects nor potential prosperity. Educational facilities include a brand new American International School.

Although the tennis player admits he wasn’t much of a scholar himself, he is proud to have completed his schooling. “At art, I was completely terrible,” he tells me. “I didn’t even know how to paint a house. I was a disaster. I was only ever ‘efficient and borderline’ with music and the other things. But at physical things, I was always good.” The problem, he says, was finding the time to do everything. After five hours a day of schooling, he had almost five hours of tennis practice – from noon to 3pm, then 7pm to 8.30pm – plus 90 minutes of football. “I would arrive home completely destroyed,” he says.

Sitting with him in a café overlooking the sea in Porto Cristo, he tells me his reasons for starting the project. “I can’t say that being me is difficult,” he says. “What is difficult is the people who are suffering, trying to find work every week and trying to survive. That’s difficult. Not being Rafa Nadal.

It’s a dream for me. I’m lucky and I want to say thanks for my life. If I can help anyone else to achieve their dreams, that will make me very happy. The Academy, the Foundation, they are all a part of that. My career will not be forever, but I hope my inspiration will last for a long time.”

With that, as the conversation comes to an end, Nadal and his small entourage clamber back into their cars and drive a couple of miles up into the hills to his sanctuary – where he will spend another night with his family, in the place where he would always rather be.

Your address: The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort

Rafael Nadal (top left) still lives a short distance from his birthplace, the Mallorcan town of Manacor, famed for its pretty neo-Gothic church (top right) and vibrant street market. The tennis star can often be found unwinding with his family on the local beach at Porto Cristo (bottom right)

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The Connoisseur: Nicolò Rubelli

MAPPING HISTORY

Contour by Getty

Words by Lisa Grainger Photographed by James Mollison

“What you have to understand is that, for me, map collecting isn’t a casual hobby,” says Nicolò Rubelli, with a laugh. “It’s a disease, an addiction. If I see a map shop, there is no way I can pass it by. I have to go in.”

Rubelli, the fifth generation to run the eponymous textiles company founded by his great-grandfather in 1889, is not only a proud Italian but a proud Venetian. Even as a boy, he says, he appreciated the “incredible privilege” of being one of only about 60,000 permanent residents able to explore Venice’s streets and its bridges, its domes and its bell towers whenever he liked. When, at the age of 17, his father gave him an antique map of the north of Italy, he was hooked. “I loved the idea that, although the map was created in 1648, so much of the city and the area around it still looked the same,” he says. “It gave me a new way of looking at my home.”

For the aspiring architect, who went on to become an engineer, maps were not only a means by which to examine the make-up of the city but to understand the artistic sensibility of that period. “If you look at certain German maps of Venice, for instance,” he explains, “all the bell towers have pointed spires, because the map-makers had reinterpreted the city according to what they thought was beautiful at the time. Most of the publishers in Nuremberg had never been outside Germany, so often the maps they printed were embellished or fictitious – and that’s fascinating.”

Since he was given his first map three decades ago, the company CEO, whose fabrics adorn interiors including Buckingham Palace in London,

the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Vanderbilt mansion in New York and St. Regis hotels in Rome and Florence, has amassed around 180 maps, printed between 1500 and the late 19th century.

Unlike many collectors, Rubelli doesn’t believe in hiding his printed treasures in drawers or darkened rooms. Each is mounted on white paper so its edge can be seen, then framed simply in wood, and hung “in a giant jigsaw puzzle” in rooms shaded from bright light during the week and opened up for his enjoyment on weekends. One of his most precious maps is also one of the earliest ever printed – in 1500, by Jacopo de’ Barbari.

“He went from bell tower to bell tower above the city to draw it, so it’s a perspective view. What’s incredible is that it’s obviously Venice. Certain things aren’t there, like the [Santa Maria della] Salute church, which is beside my house and whose dome I can see from my window. But so much of what we see hasn’t changed at all.”

Today, having run out of wall space, Rubelli tries to buy books of maps (“which are pretty much the same price as single maps”); he has also bought a single terracotta globe, designed by Giò Ponti for porcelain maker Richard Ginori in 1929. “It’s the one exception to my rule, this globe: normally I don’t collect them because they don’t usually feature Venice, they’re overpriced, and I don’t collect 20th-century maps. But I love Giò Ponti’s work, and we have many of his drawings in textiles in our collection. So when I found this at a market in Padua, I just had to have it.” rubelli.com 67

Culture

ART’S MOVERS AND

SHEIKHAS Words by Nonie Niesewand

ONCE, DUBAI WAS DISMISSED AS A CULTURAL DESERT. TODAY, ITS CONTEMPORARY ART SCENE IS BLOSSOMING, THANKS TO A GROUP OF POWERFUL MIDDLE EASTERN WOMEN

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Abbi Kemp

T

wenty years ago, you would never have imagined that Dubai would one day possess a booming contemporary art scene attracting the world’s biggest players. Yet today, the annual Art Dubai gathering has become one of the most important events on the international art calendar.

It’s not just the scale of the event that has grown but also the number of women involved: nearly half the artists exhibited are now female, as are many of the Middle Eastern gallery owners and curators. Although in the business world men rule, according to her Highness Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, president of the Sharjah Art Foundation, who organizes a biennial in her emirate of neighboring Dubai, “as sons take over their fathers’ business interests, women are free to work in an industry they’re passionate about”.

Events at Art Dubai and the Sharjah Biennial have attracted well-informed and deep-pocketed audiences. This year at Art Dubai, 94 galleries representing 500 artists from 40 countries attended, as well as 95 museums. And during the week of Dubai Art Fair in 2015, more than $35 million changed hands for artworks from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, ranging from $10,000 to over $300,000.

Dubai is now an ideal spot to buy works by local and international artists, as well as to find talent for future exhibitions. Today, Nadia

Kaabi-Linke’s Flying Carpets, a steel grid sculpture suspended by rubber threads at Art Dubai in 2011, hangs in the Guggenheim in New York.

The Qatari-American filmmaker Sophia Al Maria has a show at the Whitney Museum of American Art until October 2016; the 92-year-old Turkish poet and artist Etel Adnan is exhibiting at the Galerie Lelong in Paris and Dubai; and the late Indian artist Nasreen Mohamedi’s solo show opened the new Met Breuer exhibition space in New York this year.

Here we profile four leading women who have put Middle Eastern art into the frame.

Myrna Ayad The Fair Director

Art Dubai’s new fair director is an important player in the Middle Eastern contemporary art world. Born in Beirut in 1977, she has lived in the UAE for 30 years, editing the art magazine Canvas and publishing daily newspapers during Art Dubai that introduced the Western art world to some of the most exciting conceptual art in the Middle East.

Unsurprisingly, Ayad has an address book that reads like a Who’s Who of the art world.

The royal families in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have all opened

up their private art collections for her to write about, and before joining Art Dubai in 2016, she consulted on cultural strategy for luxury labels from Bulgari and Chanel to Mercedes.

Art Dubai, she says, is “a pulsating powerhouse... and a gathering of people who rarely have a chance to meet. Saleh Barakat of Beirut’s Agial Art Gallery once told me, ‘Coming here, I see everybody’ and I very much identify with that.” This year she met artists, curators, collectors and heads of galleries and museums from all over the world, from Princess Wijdan Al Hashemi of Jordan who founded the Jordan National Gallery in 1980 to Germano Celant, who is curating the Kienholz: Five Car Stud show at the Prada Foundation in Milan.

Although the number of women running galleries has increased, they have always been influential in the Arab art world, she says.

Pioneers included Mouna Atassi and her late sister Mayla, who opened a library/gallery in Homs in Syria in the 1980s, Farida Sultan, whose eponymous gallery was established in Kuwait in 1969, and Princess Jawaher Bint Majid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who established Jeddah’s Al Mansouria Foundation for the Arts in 1988. She concedes, though, that the interest in the region’s art has increased substantially, partly as a result of the displacement of people, and the growth of the Arab diaspora. “Art in

Cultural oasis Opposite page: Myrna Ayad, director of Art Dubai, has an address book that reads like a Who’s Who of the art world. Above: Dubai’s El Marsa gallery presents Tunisian artist Nja Mahdaoui’s Trance

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Culture

It’s not just the scale of Art Dubai that has grown but also the number of women involved: today nearly half the artists exhibited are female, as are many of the Middle Eastern gallery owners and curators

Diana Al-Hadid The Artist

Born in Aleppo, Syria, Diana al-Hadid moved with her parents to Cleveland, Ohio when she was seven and used art, she explains, to make sense of her new world. “I was a real immigrant kid and didn’t speak English, and couldn’t read or write. My grandmother told me to draw hands and people and soon I became known as the weird kid who was always drawing.”

Fast forward a few decades, and the 34-yearold U.S.-art-college-educated, Brooklyn-based sculptor, who creates works using everyday materials from polymer and fiberglass to wood and steel, has become one of the most soughtafter of her generation, and among the youngest to be represented by New York art dealer Marianne Boesky. During Art Dubai this year, Boesky sold seven of Al-Hadid’s sculptures to Middle Eastern collectors before the artist’s first major solo show, entitled Phantom Limb, took place at the New York University in Abu Dhabi.

Her punchy titles accompany powerful images. Phantom Limb – the phrase used to describe the sensation amputees sometimes feel of still having their lost limb – consists of white paint and gypsum dripping from formal plinths like stalactites, supporting a limbless and headless torso. Another, Fool’s Gold, features a reflective pool of shattered mirror atop three stacked blocks, from which dribbles of gold run out before reaching the floor. Both sculptures reveal an ultimate fragility and sense of loss, as the paint, canvas or gold just melts or trickles away.

Maya Allison, curator of Phantom Limb, believes Al-Hadid’s sculptures have “a visceral presence that channels some ancient, shared artistic memory. This mix of historical references and creative immediacy brings many different audiences into dialogue with her.”

Her vision clearly resonates all over the world.

The David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, is showing a selection of her works until October 30, 2016; the city of Nara in Japan has commissioned her to make an artwork for their temple; and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London has a maquette for her sculpture planned for the main courtyard.

Isabelle van den Eynde The Gallery Owner

In 2006, Isabelle van den Eynde was one of the first people in Dubai to show contemporary art, and in 2010, when a new art district started to grow in the gritty industrial Al Quoz site, she immediately moved her eponymous gallery there.

Today, the warehouses and marble-cutting factories have been colonized by artists, designers and gallerists, and the burgeoning loft scene recalls New York’s SoHo in the 1970s and 80s.

She specializes in Middle Eastern art that represents, she says, “the voice of our region”.

For Art Basel Hong Kong in 2015, she featured Hassan Sharif, who uses discarded materials to create artworks. His Cotton Rope No. 7 (2012), an Arab dictionary tightly bound with rope, was bought for the permanent collection of the M+ museum when it opens in Hong Kong in 2019.

She also represents two of the 17 artists represented in But a Storm is Blowing From Paradise at the Guggenheim in New York until October 5, 2016. Rokni Haerizadeh’s 2014 artwork, which lends its name to the exhibition, uses news clips overlaid with ink, watercolor and gesso to transform humans into animal hybrids, while Mohammed Kazem’s Scratches on Paper visually 72

represents sounds by scratching and gouging paper with scissors. To van den Eynde, these works represent many of the social and political concerns facing the Middle East: “They make a permanent statement that goes beyond our lives.”

Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi The Curator

Royal mover and shaker Hoor Al Qasimi is an international force in the art world as president of the Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF), set up by her ruling father, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi. A graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art in London, with a further MA in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art, she speaks an impressive seven languages (English, Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Mandarin and Russian) and curated the UAE pavilion to showcase Emirati artists at the 2015 Venice Biennale.

At home, Sheikha Hoor shows contemporary art in the most extraordinary places restored by SAF, including the Ice Factory in the coastal fishing town of Kalba, an abandoned 1970s cinema nearby, and a UFO-shaped building in Sharjah called the Flying Saucer, which was first opened in 1978. An old Arabic house in the center, made from silky white coral-stone, has been turned into the Bait Al Serkal gallery.

Unlike many curators, Sheikha Hoor sees herself primarily as an artist, and then as a curator, which is why her exhibitions tend to be more emotive experiences than archival. “I look at the role through the eyes of a painter,” she says. “When a person enters the space, something has to lead the eye. Composing the room, in the same way that you would compose a photograph, is very important.”

The 11th edition of Art Dubai (artdubai.ae) runs from March 15-18, 2017, and the 13th edition of the Sharjah Biennial (sharjahart.org) starts in March 2017 Your address: The St. Regis Dubai

Juliet Dunne, Corbis via Getty Images, Getty Images

the region is highly prized but historically there have been, and still are, spells when conflict halts artistic and cultural activity. Living in the diaspora means that people are attuned to other cultures and generally have greater sense of community and collective vision, as well as more emotional attachment and pride in the creative output of their respective communities.”

Art in Dubai

Desert bloom Clockwise from top left: pioneering gallery owner Isabelle van den Eynde poses in front of Hassan Sharif ’s White Knots; Diana Al-Hadid’s All The Stops, part of Unveiled: New Art From The Middle East at London’s Saatchi Gallery; performance art in the desert commissioned by Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi for Art Dubai 2016

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SPEEDY RETURNS Words by Simon de Burton

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WITH THEIR VALUE RISING FASTER THAN PROPERTY OR GOLD, CLASSIC CARS ARE GAINING GROUND AS SOLID INVESTMENTS

Anyone who remembers how the classic car boom of the late 1980s ended in a dramatic bust might be inclined to steer clear of sinking their life savings into a collection of old automobiles. But perhaps they should think again. A cursory look at the prices being achieved for the most sought-after models shows that the market is currently at an all-time high.

A prime example of its buoyancy was seen in February of this year when French house Artcurial set a new record price in Euros for any car sold at auction by hammering down a 1957 Ferrari 335S Spider Scaglietti for €32.1 million (about $35.7 million). Two years ago, the highest price ever achieved for a car in dollars was reached at Bonhams for a 1962 Ferrari GTO: $38.1 million. The message is clear: classic cars are now officially regarded as blue-chip investments, with their value increasing at a higher rate than the stock market, property and even gold. In the 2015 passion investment index by the private wealth managers Coutts, certain classic cars showed an increase of 40 per cent in 2014 and a 400 per cent increase since 2005.

Not that the appeal of old cars is purely financial. For most buyers, the real pull lies in the fact that they are rolling works of art that not only look great and evoke a golden era but offer the potential for a huge amount of fun, too. In recent years, the number of events being staged for veteran, vintage and classic automobiles has grown exponentially.

Today, instead of just polishing your pride and joy and taking it for an occasional weekend jaunt, you can actually use it for anything from an organized tour with a group of like-minded enthusiasts to a road rally, hill climb or all-out circuit race.

In May, for example, the biennial Monaco Historic Grand Prix saw hundreds of vintage and classic cars racing around the legendary circuit in seven different classes catering for everything from 1930s Bugattis to the wildest Formula One cars of the 1970s. So, if you fancy owning a classic, which should you buy? The choice is, of course, myriad, but here are five that are on the wish lists of most lovers of historical cars.

Jaguar E-Type Created by former aircraft designer Malcolm Sayer, Jaguar’s E-Type was the fastest production car on the market when it was unveiled in March 1961. With a top speed of 150mph, a 3.8-liter, 265-horsepower engine and jaw-dropping looks, it was declared by Enzo Ferrari to be “the most beautiful car in the world”. More than 72,000 were built during a 14-year production run. The most popular, however, are the “Series 1” models, with the best open-top “roadsters” currently commanding around $250,000, and fixed-head coupés only half as much. Jaguar recently built a series of six “continuation” cars to finally finish the Lightweight E-Type project which, 51 years ago, resulted in the creation of a series of highly-focused racing versions of the car. Only 12 of the intended 18 cars were ever made, leaving the remaining halfdozen allocated chassis numbers on file. These were used by Jaguar’s Special Operations division to build the “missing” Lightweights, which sold for more than $1.5 million each.

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Classic Cars

Ferrari 250 GTO Said by many to be the most beautiful car ever created, a mere 39 examples of the legendary 250 GT “Omologato” were produced between 1962 and 1963, originally to contest the FIA GT World Championship series in the three-liter class – the “250” in the title referring to the 250cc capacity of each of the engine’s 12 cylinders. Although designed as a pure racing machine, the GTO is renowned for its ease of use as a road car. The most paid at auction to date is $38.1 million, although one example is rumored to have changed hands in a private deal for closer to $50 million.

Porsche 911 Carrera RS The Carrera 2.7 RS of 1973 was intended purely for racing, but Porsche had to build 500 road-going examples to qualify the car for inclusion in the Group 4 GT category. It proved so popular as a high-performance street machine, however, that production only stopped after 1,508 had rolled off the line.

Much of the appeal of the RS lies in the fact that it combines 150mph performance with reliability and surprising economy.

The best examples now fetch between $1 million and $1.5 million, but beware: early 911s are notoriously dangerous in the hands of the uninitiated. When cornering, the golden rule is “slow in, fast out”, because if you lift off the throttle on the apex of a bend, there’s a good chance it will spin off the road.

Bentley “Blower” “The world’s fastest lorries” is how Ettore Bugatti rather rudely described the pre-war Bentleys that dominated the Le Mans 24-Hour races during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

The “blown” 4.5-liter Bentley was unveiled at the London motor show in 1929 having been privately developed by “Bentley Boy” Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin as a higherperformance version of the standard four-liter. Just 50 production cars were built, all of which could top 100mph, making them among the world’s first supercars. Examples rarely appear for sale, but those that do command sums in the region of $1.5 million. Four years ago, however, the 1932 single-seater, record-breaking Blower that originally belonged to Birkin fetched a record $7 million at Bonhams.

Dream machines Previous page: One of the “missing” Jaguar E-Type Lightweights. This page, from top to bottom: Ferrari 250 GTO; Porsche 911 Carrera RS; Bentley “Blower”; Lamborghini Miura

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Made famous in the opening scenes of The Italian Job, in which a bright-red example can be seen driving along an alpine road to the strains of crooner Matt Monro’s On Days Like These before being pushed off a cliff by a Mafia bulldozer, the Miura was the first ever mid-engined, road-going supercar when it was launched in 1966. According to legend, it was designed by Lamborghini engineers in their spare time, as company boss Ferruccio Lamborghini was more interested in grand tourers.

Featuring a 12-cylinder, four-liter engine, Miuras are known for their brutal power, weighty gearshift and over-light front end. But on a challenging back road with a good driver behind the wheel, thrills are guaranteed. Add to that a range of wild color options and past owners ranging from Frank Sinatra to the Shah of Iran, and you can see why values have risen from $800,000 five years ago to more than $2 million today.

Getty Images, Alamy

Lamborghini Miura

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Art

ARTISTIC ALCHEMY Words by Megan Abrahams

THROUGH PAINT – AND HER UNIQUE INTERPRETATION OF ANTIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS – HUNG LIU BRINGS BACK TO LIFE THE ORDINARY, FORGOTTEN PEOPLE FROM CHINA’S AND AMERICA’S PAST

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n a visionary body of work, rich in symbolism and pathos, California-based artist Hung Liu connects history to the present, East to West, mundanity to beauty. Dripping with immediacy, as if the artist has just put down the brush, her paintings of anonymous figures adapted from historical photographs are timeless, yet paradoxically anchored to the past, infused with a nuanced narrative and layers of psychological insight.

Born in China in 1948, Liu came of age during the Cultural Revolution. After high school, she was sent to the countryside where she spent four years working in the fields. There, she photographed and drew workers and their families. This was a formative experience for the young artist, who went on to portray ordinary people as the subjects of much of her work.

Following her early studies as a mural painter at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, one of China’s leading art schools, in 1984 Liu emigrated to America to pursue a graduate program in visual arts at the University of California San Diego. Today, from her hometown of Oakland in California, she re-contextualizes snippets of history that may not be lost, but have perhaps been forgotten.

“I’ve come to think of these subjects as ghosts I ‘summon’ from the grainy, chemical surfaces of the photographic past,” she says.

“That’s kind of going backwards technologically, from a newer medium to an older one, but mineral pigments on canvas can be

very physical, bringing the image forward into the present in a vivid, present-tense way. There’s some kind of alchemy here, although I think of myself less as an advocate or guardian, more as a witch.”

On a visit to China in 1991, Liu found a treasure trove of studio photographs of 19th-century Chinese prostitutes, which became references for a series of riveting multimedia works. A series called Dandelions, meanwhile, is based on photographs she took on a road trip, the flowers often blown up to the size of the human figure. And the subjects of American Exodus, on show this fall at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery in New York City, are based on images of migrants from America’s Depression era that she found in the Dorothea Lange archive at the Oakland Museum of California.

In a Wall Street Journal review of her 2013 Oakland Museum of California retrospective, Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu, critic David Littlejohn referred to Hung Liu as “the greatest Chinese painter in the U.S.”. Her art, which is represented in the permanent collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, not only mirrors the unique duality of her extraordinary life experience, straddling two cultures, but transcends the boundaries of time.

Hung Liu: American Exodus is showing at the Nancy Hoffman Gallery in New York City until October 22, 2016 Your address: The St. Regis New York 78

Hung Liu

Crane Dance, 2011 The delicate cloud of circling cranes in this work has a profound underlying significance.

“In China, cranes are considered auspicious, and are associated with the imperial palace and heaven,” says Liu. “They are among many animals I use from traditional Chinese painting in my work. This woman is from a photo, circa 1865, by the American John Thompson. It portrays an older, anonymous working woman from the south. The juxtaposition of her hand with the cranes suggests the vast space between the imperial court and working peasants.”

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Art

Bindlestiff, 2015 “Watching movies like The Grapes of Wrath reminded me of my experience as a working peasant in China. I have painted non-Chinese subjects before, but this is the first time I’ve devoted myself to a body of work based on the pictures of an American photographer [Dorothea Lange]. These images are intimately familiar to me: they are American peasants, after all.”

In contrast with the dwindling figure, Liu portrays vast skies – also inspired by Lange: “She sometimes just shot the sky above all the misery and displacement of the 1930s.”

Dandelion 11, 2015 In this powerful diptych, Hung Liu utilizes her recurring dandelion motif in a profoundly symbolic way, positioning a large, dramatic dandelion that has gone to seed opposite a portrait of a formally dressed female figure. “The juxtaposition is metaphorical, of course,” says Liu. “The woman and the flower are both ornamental, but the dandelion is mostly blown away. It suggests to me the unpredictable course of one’s life, no matter how ornamented one is.”

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Hung Liu

The Botanist, 2013 This painting, part of the permanent collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, is from the series Qian Shan: Grandfather’s Mountain, which is particularly significant because of its connection to Hung Liu’s personal history. The figure is the artist’s grandfather, Liu Weihua, who was China’s foremost scholar on the topic of Qian Shan, a mountainous region in Northern China. “He was the only scholar who documented the area’s Buddhist and Taoist monasteries and religious practices, as well as all the plants and animals,” says Liu.

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Art

Cotton Picker, 2015 While based on one of the Depression-era photographs by Dorothea Lange, Cotton Picker has a contemporary feel, with its solid blue background, the figure and her bale in a subdued palette of grays. Stripped, as it is, of decorative elements, the focus of the gripping work centers on this compelling character from the past, drawing the viewer in. “Sometimes I prefer a more graphic and simple image,” says Liu. “I also didn’t feel the woman needed any extra painting to make her stark point – of looking at the audience.”

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Hung Liu

Yellow Earth, 2014 The dandelion appears again in this work, which features dynamic drips that add a blurred quality, transforming the composition. “The historical photographs I paint from are often grainy and blurry to begin with,” says Liu, “which liberates me to move beyond realistic representation proper, to something more expressionistic and/or calligraphic. I wash the images in veils of dripping linseed oil that both preserve and destroy the image, and I think the moment where both of these are possible in a painting is what I try to find as a painter.”

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The Back Story

A LIFE OF GIVE AND TAKE Words by David Masello

E

very day, from when he was 20 years old, Vincent Astor slipped into his pocket the most valuable thing he owned: the watch used by his father, John Jacob Astor IV. While personal heirlooms are normally of sentimental value to bereaved children, this watch was particularly precious. John Jacob had been one of the nation’s wealthiest men, and one of New York’s most keenly chronicled social figures, and the watch was in his pocket when he boarded the Titanic in Southampton with his young (second) wife, Madeleine, in 1912. Although Madeleine survived, John Jacob perished, and when his body was retrieved from the freezing waters and taken back to New York, the gold watch that had been in his pocket beneath his life jacket was presented to his son. It was never recorded whether the pocket watch still kept the time or if its hands were stilled, or even whether its numerals were still readable, having been immersed in water for days. But it remained in Vincent’s pocket for the rest of his life.

The two men had been extremely close. As the biographer Justin Kaplan writes in his book When the Astors Owned New York, “Vincent adored him and was adored in return”, obliquely referencing Vincent’s mother, Ava, who was unadoring, if not hostile, to both men. “Jack spent much

of his time away from Ava in the company of their son... he was happiest sailing with Vincent on board Nourmahal, the steel-hulled steam yacht he had inherited from his pleasure-loving father.”

With the sinking of the Titanic, everything changed in Vincent Astor’s life. Having been a carefree undergraduate at Harvard, he suddenly became “the richest young man in the world”, with enormous responsibilities – and an empire to run. Alongside his father’s precious timepiece, $87 million cash and vast swathes of New York real estate, one of the most valuable items Vincent inherited was the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. An elaborately wrought and technically advanced building opened

by John Jacob in 1904, it was, according to Frances Kiernan, an Astor biographer, “one of his proudest assets”.

There was much about the St. Regis Hotel to be proud. Architecturally, the Beaux Arts–style edifice was celebrated as much for its expertly articulated ornamentation as it was for the state-of-the-art engineering.

As Robert A.M. Stern describes it in his book New York 1900: “The St. Regis [was] an accomplished design that used a vocabulary of ornamental details based on contemporary French practice to set a new standard for the luxury hotel.” The hotel’s general manager Rudolf M. 84

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WHEN HIS FATHER JOHN JACOB ASTOR IV DIED ON THE TITANIC, VINCENT ASTOR INHERITED THE GREATEST PERSONAL FORTUNE ON EARTH – AND THE ST. REGIS HOTEL. AN UNDERGRADUATE WITH LITTLE EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD, HE WOULD SOON BECOME ONE OF AMERICA’S GREATEST PHILANTHROPISTS

Facing the future Following the tragic death of his father John Jacob Astor IV on the Titanic (left), Harvard student Vincent Astor (above) became, overnight, the richest young man in the world

A splendid legacy

Haan, wrote at the time of the opening of the 18-story hotel at Fifth Avenue and East 55th Street: “My hotel is not a place for billionaires only, but a hostelry for people of good taste who have the means to live as comfortably as they choose.” And the critic Arthur C. David said in a 1904 issue of Architectural Record that the elegance, grandeur, and domestic feel of the city’s finest townhouses “have been transferred to a hotel, and have in some respects been transcended”. He added that those who gravitated to the hotel were taken with the fact that it was “somewhat quieter and more exclusive” than other fashionable hotels.

When the hotel was first built, it was situated in what was then a decidedly upscale residential neighborhood, but was, as Arthur David put it, “plainly withdrawn from the ordinary places of popular resort”. By the time Vincent had inherited the hotel, however, it was a locus of New York society life, and its very existence had transformed the surrounding neighborhood into the city’s premier shopping area. Nevertheless, for reasons that remain unclear, Vincent sold the hotel to industrialist Benjamin N. Duke, who added the famous St. Regis Roof, with its elegant, frescoed dining room, and the Salle Cathay, both of which played host to some of the era’s most prestigious parties. By the early 1930s,

however, Duke had allowed the hotel to lose its sparkle. In 1935, Vincent Astor regained control of the property through a mortgage default and immediately set about returning the St. Regis to its former glory. He modernized it, hiring the highly respected Anne Tiffany to redecorate, and made it financially profitable within just two years by placing his brother-in-law, Prince Serge Obolensky, on the executive board. La Maisonette Russe (formerly known as The Seaglades) became one of the most popular supper-nightclubs in New York. The Roof was turned into The Viennese Roof. The Iridium Room replaced the Salle Cathay and swiftly became one of the city’s hottest spots, complete with an iceskating platform that rolled out from beneath the orchestra floor.

The hotel was a source of immense pride for Vincent. Although he was never a handsome man – who dressed in rather unimaginative suits, and was described by his mother as “stupid” as well as “clumsy and lumpish looking, with big feet” – he certainly understood the beauty of impressive buildings. He owned exquisite homes in Bermuda, Phoenix, Rhinebeck in upstate New York and Northeast Harbor, Maine – many of them considered among the finest houses in America. In the city, the building at 120 East End Avenue in which he lived with two of his 86

Rex Pictures, Mary Evans Picture Library, Alamy

This page, clockwise from top left: Vincent Astor in 1910, the year he graduated from St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island; Newsweek, the magazine he helmed from 1937 to 1959; portrait of Brooke Astor by Horst P. Horst; skaters take part in an ice show on the rink in The Iridium Room at The St. Regis Hotel. Opposite page, clockwise from left: The St. Regis Hotel in the early 1930s; the New York Public Library, funded by the Vincent Astor Foundation; Brooke Astor, photographed in her Park Avenue apartment in 2000, alongside a photograph of her late husband

Pars International/Newsweek, Getty Images

In marked contrast to his grandmother, who had established “The Four Hundred”, a collection of 400 members of American high society, Vincent was drawn to charitable rather than social causes

three wives in the 23-room penthouse was considered one of the most luxurious apartment blocks of its day. But the most coveted of all of the homes he owned was a Manhattan townhouse he’d commissioned in 1927. The Regency-style townhouse on East 80th Street (now the headquarters of the New York Junior League) was so deep that it ran the full length of the lot to 79th Street and incorporated both a sunken garden and garage. It was, according to Robert A. M. Stern in his book New York 1930, a masterpiece, whose plan was “exceptionally gracious” and whose individual rooms were “delicately scaled”.

Real estate was in Vincent’s blood, and as well as creating beautiful homes for himself, he created vast housing projects across New York.

Recognizing the increasing demand for upscale residences in Manhattan, he began to transform entire neighborhoods with new buildings, many of which still exist today. On East End Avenue, for instance, at the corner of East 86th Street, he erected fashionable and handsomely appointed

Georgian-style apartment houses that still remain stolid fixtures in the neighborhood. Working together with Obolensky, he converted a row of Victorian-era brownstones between 88th and 89th streets into something he fondly referred to as “Poverty Row” (a reference to the fact that he envisioned young artists and professionals moving in who hadn’t yet made their fortunes in life, but would).

Not all of his life, though, was taken up with business – or mixing in high society. In fact, in marked contrast to his grandmother, who had established “The Four Hundred”, a collection of 400 members of American high society, Vincent was drawn to charitable rather than social causes. Despite the fact that John Jacob Astor, Vincent’s great-great-grandfather, had been one of the founders of the New York Public Library, the Astors were not especially famed for their civic or social generosity. In fact, prior to Vincent’s involvement, many of the apartments controlled by the family had devolved into slums – something the young man set about trying to put right.

By 1935, he had become instrumental in establishing America’s first managed housing project. Having sold a significant parcel of the Lower East Side to the New York City Housing Authority for less than half its market value, he built eight five-story walk-up apartments, meant to house poor and working families, many of them immigrants. On East 79th Street, he constructed housing for working people that, for the first time says David Patrick Columbia, co-founder of the New York Social Diary, took into consideration their health, “being constructed near water, with fresh air and ample space around them. He was sensitive in that way, very involved.”

Alongside housing projects, he funded youth projects at the New York Hospital and the American Red Cross, set up playgrounds and youth centers around the city, and built the Astor Home for Children in Rhinebeck, N.Y. “During his own childhood he was mistreated by his mother,” Columbia says. “So, as an adult he became extremely sensitive to the needs of children who were mistreated and needed love and attention.”

Given his relationship with his mother – and the fact his father’s second wife was only a year older than Vincent – it is hardly surprising that his private life was less successful than his business life. A man not known for natural bonhomie, nor interested in the activities required of his class, Vincent preferred to spend time sailing on the yacht he commissioned in 1927, a new Nourmahal, named after the vessel on which he and his father had passed such happy times. The 264-foot yacht, which he later donated to the U.S. Navy during World War II, boasted eleven staterooms, a dining room for 18 and a crew of 42. With its cruising range of 20,000 miles, the yacht allowed Vincent to travel the world for months at a time, even bringing home tortoises and other exotic specimens he found during his trips to the Galapagos and donating them to the Bronx Zoo. Back on dry land, while his successive wives continued to socialize at galas and fashionable functions, the biographer Kiernan notes that “Vincent went to the office every day. And when night came, he was a virtual recluse, wanting nothing more than to enjoy his dinner and relax by the fire.”

Of his three marriages, his last, to Brooke Astor in 1953, was perhaps the most successful. Unconventionally, the match had been set up by his

second wife, Minnie. Vincent and Minnie’s marriage had long been over, but she agreed to divorce him only when she could find him a suitable wife.

When Brooke’s previous husband died in 1952, Minnie arranged a dinner party, seating the widow opposite Vincent. Within weeks he had proposed.

By then, so astute was Vincent as a businessman, he had already doubled the family assets and initiated several notable ventures. One of these included providing the funds to merge Today magazine with a then defunct publication called Newsweek, to create a more politically progressive foil to rival Time. He became the famous magazine’s chairman from 1937 to his death in 1959. But perhaps his most dramatic and lingering financial undertaking was his establishment of the Vincent Astor Foundation in 1948, the goal of which was simply “the alleviation of human misery”. It was a big motto to uphold, but if any charity has come close to realizing that goal, it has been this foundation.

After his death in 1959, Brooke inherited $67 million to give to charitable causes: half the value of the estate. Until it was all spent in 1997, funding was given to countless institutions small and large: to dance troupes, the New York Public Library, neighborhood literacy programs, the Bronx Zoo (which built its monorail, among other features, with the grant money), the restoration of Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan, the Bedford-Stuyvesant Corporation, and the installation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Astor Court, a full-scale replica of a traditional Chinese garden and house.

Today, Vincent Astor’s legacy is present in so many aspects of New York life that the city would be unrecognizable without his munificence. Not only did he build neighborhoods that are mainstays of Manhattan and fund many of the city’s key cultural institutions, he also helped children gain access to good housing, recreation and education.

It is more than ironic that one of Vincent’s first heart attacks occurred as he was entering a theater in Poughkeepsie, New York, to attend a screening of A Night to Remember, a feature film that depicted the Titanic disaster.

The story of his extraordinary life had come full circle.

Your address: The St. Regis New York

Millionaires Row Vincent Astor (center right) welcomes President Franklin D. Roosevelt (center left) aboard his yacht, Nourmahal, for a four-day voyage from Poughkeepsie, NY, to Washington, D.C. in August 1933

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The Back Story

Vincent Astor

Celebrating 100 years of

D E AR BO EI N G , HAPPY 1 0 0 T H AN N IVER SARY. DO E SN ’ T TIM E FLY. The Boeing 100 mechanical watch, limited to only 300 timepieces, recognises Boeing’s leading position as a defense and commercial aircraft manufacturer. The watch is manufactured from Boeing aviation-grade Ti 6-4 titanium, a special metal that is significantly stronger than commercial titanium. It also features carbon fibre composite from the historically significant and technologically advanced Boeing Dreamliner flying testbed aircraft, ZA004, which can be found integrated into the crown of each timepiece.

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The World of Luxury

BRAND

AMBITIONS Words by Lucia van der Post

ONCE, BRANDS PRIDED THEMSELVES ON MAKING ONE THING BRILLIANTLY. TODAY, FASHION HOUSES ARE AS LIKELY TO CRAFT COFFEE TABLES AS THEY ARE COUTURE, AND CAR MANUFACTURERS TO DESIGN MAGNIFICENT HOTEL SUITES AS THEY ARE MOTORS

Suite dreams Left: the Dior Suite at The St. Regis New York, where hospitality and fashion merge.

Above: cushions by fashion house Christian Lacroix, which has created products for the home

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t was the late brilliant retailer Joseph Ettedgui who opened our eyes to the charms of interspersing some arresting, avant-garde furniture in among the fashion at his eponymous shop in London’s Fulham Road. The sight of one of André Dubreuil’s whimsical chairs lurking right next to the ball gowns seemed at the time to be shockingly adventurous, but it had the interesting effect of each enhancing the allure of the other.

These days, combinations of this sort are everywhere – from Carla Sozzani’s 10 Corso Como in Milan to fashion designer Margaret Howell’s collection of mid-century furniture, which she dots between her signature shirts and gymslips. But many of the big fashion brands have taken the notion even further and have diversified into designing their own ranges of chairs and sofas, tableware and fragrance, as well

as applying their imprint to such things as hotels, yachts and almost anything else that seems to take their fancy. Brand extension is what they call it – and most of them are at it. The cynical explanation for why it has become so ubiquitous is that it seems the logical way to sell more things to more people. If he/she likes the clothes, chances are they’ll like the sofa, the lamp, the cushion, even the chess set. Many of the great brands, run by some of the canniest businessmen and women in the world, have further observed that the word “lifestyle” is on an awful lot of lips. The woman who buys, for example, an Armani dress is tapping into a very precise aesthetic and – so the thinking goes – if she is sympathetic to the Armani world she is more than likely to want to surround herself with everything else the great man designs.

Key to the success of this approach is what industry observers refer to 91

as “authenticity”. It’s not enough to slap a name on a product; it should encapsulate the essential DNA of the brand. For example, when St. Regis decided to create a Bentley Suite on the 15th floor of the hotel, they went to enormous lengths to make sure it wasn’t just a name that was added but the craftsmanship for which the legendary carmaker is renowned.

The seductive lines of the Bentley Continental are echoed in the curved, veneered walls of the living room; the mirrored ceiling and marble floors remind visitors of the interior of a car wheel, and a light installation subtly recalls the car’s headlights. Further Bentley Suites have followed at The St. Regis Dubai and The St. Regis Istanbul, while The St. Regis New York now also boasts an exquisite Tiffany Suite.

Here we see a brand extension with a shared aesthetic and most importantly, a genuine connection between the name and the end

product. Bentley has extended this careful attention to the core values of its motor cars to a whole range of luxury products, from soft leather driving gloves to cashmere throws and leather weekend bags, all of which reflect what it calls “the design language of our cars”.

On the whole, though, the designers who have been keenest to extend their brand into home furniture and accessories have been the fashion designers. At this year’s Salone del Mobile furniture show in Milan, many of the big names displayed their home collections with the same enthusiasm and panache as their annual fashion shows. For instance, Hermès produces a small collection of finely honed pieces usually using exquisite leather, often combined with wood, from a calfskin-topped desk made from walnut to its vast range of fine china, many patterned with the equestrian themes that lie at the heart of the Hermès heritage.

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Brand designs 1: Leather marquetry oak chair by Loewe. 2. Pink glass by Giberto Arrivabene for Dior Home.

3. Daniel Libeskind’s Swarovski chess pieces. 4. Magazine rack from the Equilibre d’Hermès collection.

At Bottega Veneta, Tomas Maier has carefully managed the brand’s extraordinary expansion based on what he calls “the four cornerstones: fine-quality materials, extraordinary craftsmanship, contemporary functionality, and timeless design”. His venture into furniture started in 2006 with a solitary bench. Today, in the splendid surroundings of Palazzo Gallarati Scotti, an 18th-century palazzo in the heart of Milan, there is a complete and very haute collection of everything from sofas to accessories, which he has sourced from an extensive range of ateliers and factories: glass artists in Murano, the fine porcelain manufacturer Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur, and Poltrona Frau for seating. He, too, has created an affinity with St. Regis Hotels: in Rome and Florence guests can check into one-of-a-kind Bottega Veneta suites and enjoy the charms of both brands simultaneously.

Christian Lacroix has transferred his fascination with the rich imagery of the Camargue (the famous salt marshes that lie just south of Arles in the south of France) and his interest in ancient cultures and folklore that infused his fashion line onto a range of homeware that bears the distinctive Lacroix imprint. At Dolce & Gabbana the designers teamed up with Smeg, the celebrated Italian manufacturer of upmarket appliances, to come up with some extraordinary limited-edition fridges with historical medieval scenes hand-painted by local Sicilian artists, each of which took around 200 hours to complete and cost upwards of $40,000. And Swarovski, that maker of brilliant crystals, has corralled some of the biggest names in the world of design and architecture – Daniel Libeskind, Zaha Hadid, Ron Arad, Fredrikson Stallard to name just a few – to launch what it calls Atelier Swarovski Home.

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The Italian house of Missoni was one of the earliest to see that the Missoni aesthetic could be happily transferred from fashion into home accessories. Anybody who knows anything about the brand can’t fail to see the deep and genuine connection between its fashion and the home line that Rosita Missoni, wife of the late Tai with whom she founded the brand way back in the 1960s, developed. She took the patterns she always loved – the stripes and zigzags, the waves, squares and tartans – and put them on to sheets and rugs, plates and towels. The home line is infused with the same joyousness, warmth and love of color that was the basis of their success in fashion.

Fendi is a more recent player in the game and it turned to that iconic Paris-based designer Maria Pergay to come up with seriously original and often quite challenging limited-edition pieces. The notion behind

the collection, as Silvia Fendi put it, was to “highlight the bond between leather and fur workmanship, iconic Fendi materials, and Pergay’s steel design”. This translated into some extraordinary pieces such as her Cabinet Pétales, a polychrome stainless steel and lacquered wood cabinet finished with embossed leather that resembles a giant exploded flower, as well as a chair made from stainless steel with gold-plated bronze and leopard-pattern marquetry: all very Fendi.

Roberto Cavalli, another of Italy’s best-known fashion designers, also very recently decided that those who liked his frocks might like to surround themselves with a whole Cavalli look. Today, he offers a whole world of opulence: of gold-rimmed serving platters, of faux leopard-skin throws, of richly patterned linens, of sumptuous padded upholstery and highly decorated tableware.

After a fashion Above: a pair of “Fireworks” chaises longues from iconic Italian brand Missoni, one of the first of the major fashion houses to extend its range into textiles, furniture and homewares

While clearly at the core of all this activity there is a very simple and straightforward commercial aim – that of expanding the brand’s customer base and persuading more of those customers to buy more things – it seems that something more profound lies behind this thinking. Creating a whole world around a brand seems not only to be a powerful way to create new energy around the name but to subtly change the way the brand is viewed. It gives far greater depth to the company’s narrative and it helps explain why they are busy devising ever more enterprising ways to get their story across to that modern phenomenon: the affluent, sophisticated and super-served global customer.

Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s creative director, has just launched some 15 pieces of furniture all linked to the Loewe world by the craft that goes into their making. His approach might perhaps be considered more curatorial than original design, in that he took a series of vintage 1930s pieces and then he applied leather marquetry to refresh or revive their forms. And finally, the latest to announce a foray into expanding its universe is one of the grandest of all names in fashion. The house of Dior, no less, opened its first Dior Homme Boutique in London, designed by superstar architect Peter Marino, with a collection of home objects made by 11 different designers ranging from Lucie de la Falaise and Yann Debelle de Montby to Michaël Cailloux and Marino himself.

The great M. Dior himself was fond of saying that “living in a house that doesn’t reflect who you are is akin to wearing someone else’s clothes”.

Your address: The St. Regis New York; The St. Regis Florence; The St. Regis Rome; The St. Regis Istanbul; The St. Regis Dubai 93

Interview Which dish you’ve created are you most proud of?

V.C. It’s impossible to choose just one. My favorites are tortelli pasta with Cinta Senese [a type of pork], tortelli with cacio cheese and pears, and I always love cooking anything with pigeon, because for me it’s the best meat.

M.G. I’m very proud of my risotto with peas and squid.

Widely regarded as one of the top chefs in Italy, Valeria Piccini’s restaurant, Da Caino, in southern Tuscany, has held two Michelin stars since 1999. Three years ago, Piccini was invited to team up with The St. Regis Florence’s executive chef, Michele Griglio, to create Restaurant Winter Garden by Caino, the hotel’s fine dining experience, housed in an exquisite former courtyard with lofty ceilings and sumptuous décor. From day one, the collaboration between these two culinary masters has been a resounding success: in 2014 the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star for its unique take on classic Tuscan cooking.

What’s the best thing to eat in Florence?

V.C. Lampredotto, which is a traditional Florentine dish made using part of a cow’s stomach, boiled in a broth with tomato, onion, parsley and celery.

M.G. You can’t beat a Florentine steak.

What do you eat when you’re home alone?

V.C. Spaghetti and eggs with tomato sauce.

M.G. Something very simple like a beef fillet.

If you could revisit a meal you’ve eaten in the past, what would it be and why?

V.C. It has to be lasagne – I love it.

M.G. I’m a big fan of jerk chicken, a typical Jamaican dish. One day I would love to recreate it with a touch of Italian style.

What would you order from the menu at Restaurant Winter Garden by Caino?

V.C. Right now I would order the homemade ravioli stuffed with grey mullet on a cream of fresh peas and grey mullet roe.

M.G. For the ultimate experience you really have to try the tasting menu.

What’s the secret to running a restaurant?

V.C. Never losing the passion you had at the beginning, constant research, and humility, which I’ve noticed seems to be decreasing.

M.G. I’m still trying to find out, but passion and constant dedication are without doubt the starting points for a successful restaurant.

What’s your favorite dish to cook?

V.C. Definitely pasta and desserts.

M.G. Spaghetti with tomato sauce.

When you were a child, what was your favorite type of food and do you still eat it now?

V.C. For me it was always pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese, but to be honest I don’t eat it very often these days.

M.G. I always loved dark chocolate. It’s one food I’ll never give up.

Are you inspired by local ingredients or traditions?

V.C. Always. We try to use local products as much as possible. For example the grey mullet and the grey mullet roe both come from Monte Argentario [a peninsula off the southern Tuscan coast].

M.G. I’m constantly inspired by Tuscany’s incredible culinary tradition and all the outstanding products the region has to offer.

Which dish or meal most reminds you of home?

V.C. I’ve always had a nostalgia for foods that are derived from the cheesemaking process. My parents were dairy farmers, so I always loved eating “cuculo”, which is the spun curd before it becomes cheese, and “scottino”, a combination of hot ricotta cheese, buttermilk and bread.

M.G. Sunday roast beef always makes me think of home.

What’s been your proudest or most memorable moment during your career?

V.C. When I was awarded a second Michelin Star at Da Caino. And when we received our first Michelin star at Restaurant Winter Garden by Caino.

M.G. In 2005, when I did my first service alone [as head chef], in charge of an entire kitchen staff.

Your Address: The St. Regis Florence

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL Words by Damon Syson

A THREE-YEAR CULINARY COLLABORATION BETWEEN STAR CHEFS VALERIA PICCINI AND MICHELE GRIGLIO HAS LED TO CRITICAL ACCLAIM AND A HIGHLY COVETED MICHELIN STAR. HERE THEY DISCUSS THE KEY ROLE THAT TRADITIONAL TUSCAN CUISINE HAS PLAYED IN THEIR SUCCESS

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It takes two Michele Griglio and Valeria Piccini have joined forces to create a menu of Tuscan dishes with a contemporary twist, such as mare di champagne (sea of champagne) and sella di lepre (saddle of hare)

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A Life in Seven Journeys

Richard E. Grant

THE ACTOR, DIRECTOR AND AUTHOR ON THE SEVEN JOURNEYS THAT TOOK HIM FROM A FARM IN SWAZILAND, SOUTHERN AFRICA, TO FILM STARDOM IN LONDON AND HOLLYWOOD

2 1969, Europe My twelfth birthday present from my father was a family “cultural injection trip” to Europe to make up for the isolation of living in the smallest country in the southern hemisphere. It was incredible: Aida in Rome, the ruins in Pompeii, The Sound of Music in Salzburg, and in London, Hair, Oliver, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mame, starring Ginger Rogers. I particularly remember in Piccadilly Circus, which was peopled by hippies smelling of patchouli oil, seeing a woman wearing a transparent blouse. As a little Swazi boy in shorts, my eyes were on stalks!

3 1978, London This trip was my twenty-first birthday present from my parents, when I was midway through my drama degree. In six weeks, I saw 72 plays and films, including Judi Dench and Ian McKellen in Macbeth – both of whom I would

work with 15 years later in Jack & Sarah.

I diarized everything I saw and knew in my bones that this was the city in which I wanted to spend my adult life.

4 1982, London After my father’s death at the age of 52, I emigrated to England with a couple of suitcases, a Sony Walkman and big dreams. I lived in a tiny bedsit in Notting Hill Gate and worked as a waiter.

Having met my future wife, Joan Washington, who coached me to do an Irish accent, I got an agent and began to get work: Shakespeare in Regent’s Park, then an improvised TV film for the BBC with Gary Oldman, which led to me being cast in Withnail & I and ultimately gave me a film career.

5 1987, Los Angeles I was flown to the U.S.A. to film Warlock.

The excitement of being in Hollywood was matched by the acute loneliness of landing in a city where I didn’t know anyone and where you had to drive everywhere. Julian Sands introduced me to Jodie Foster, while every agent I met told me they were “so excited!” – something I soon realized they said to everyone, about everything. Working in bright sunshine in the middle of the Californian winter was spectacularly seductive, as was going to the grocery store and seeing screen legends I’d grown up watching in the cinema.

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6 2004, Swaziland After five years of script rewrites, financial hiccups and casting challenges, I called “action” on my autobiographical film Wah-Wah, all shot in locations where the key events had actually taken place. It was a journey back into my own lifetime, and both cathartic and surreal by turn.

I was particularly struck by the symmetry of having made a shoe-box theatre with cut-out figures attached to lollipop sticks when I was a little boy and then watching – on a monitor the same size as a shoe box – the story of my life being filmed with great actors like Gabriel Byrne, Emily Watson and Julie Walters.

7 2012, Grasse Handbag supremo Anya Hindmarch saw me sniffing everything in sight on holiday in Mustique and suggested I create my own perfume. Visiting the olfactory nirvana of Grasse had been a lifelong dream, and the perfumed air when I arrived at the flower distilleries made me feel like Charlie stepping into the Chocolate Factory. I’d tried to make scent when I was 12, to impress an American girl, but my attempts at boiling gardenia and rose petals in sugarwatered jam jars failed. Fast-forward four and a half decades and choosing oils in Grasse to conjure up the scent I’d long dreamt of bottling was a Eureka moment. Jack (jackperfume.co.uk) launched in 2014, combining lime, marijuana and mandarin notes: my signature in scent.

Illustration: Tina Berning

1 1964, London When I was seven, my father went to America for six months on a Carnegie grant to lecture about education in Africa, accompanied by my mother.

I went to live on my uncle’s cotton and cattle farm in the south of Swaziland, and, at the end of it, they arranged for me to fly on my own to meet them in London. Never having been on a plane before, I was incredibly excited.

THE HOLLAND & HOLLAND RANGE ROVER The most luxurious Range Rover ever created

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THE ST. REGIS ATLAS The St. Regis story around the globe, from the first hotel opening in Manhattan in 1904 to the latest in Changsha

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ST. REGIS WEDDINGS

The Ultimate Memory, Designed Just for You THE ART OF CELEBRATION #stregiswedding

For further information visit us at www.stregis.com/weddings

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ST. REGIS HONEYMOONS

Paradise Found Seductive Sanctuaries, Pinnacle Paradises

Located in the world’s most coveted regions, these idyllic beach destinations are perfectly suited to honeymooners seeking a romantic interlude wrapped in pure paradise.

Indoor-outdoor spaces blend seamlessly with elements of the natural environment, setting a truly intimate backdrop for a resort escape for two.

A SELECTION OF PARADISE FOUND HOTELS AND RESORTS: THE ST. REGIS PUNTA MITA RESORT; THE ST. REGIS MAURITIUS RESORT; THE ST. REGIS MALDIVES VOMMULI RESORT; THE ST. REGIS BORA BORA RESORT; THE ST. REGIS BALI RESORT

For further information visit us at www.stregis.com/honeymoons

ST. REGIS HONEYMOONS

Journey’s End Rustic Elegance for the Adventurous Spirit

Nestled in some of the world’s most dramatic landscapes, these rustic yet refined addresses appeal to couples with a shared passion for adventure. From summer pursuits along glittering exotic beaches to thrilling winter sports capped by fireside après-ski, active honeymooners begin their life’s journey with an unforgettable experience.

A SELECTION OF JOURNEY’S END HOTELS AND RESORTS: THE ST. REGIS ASPEN RESORT; THE ST. REGIS DEER VALLEY; THE ST. REGIS MARDAVALL MALLORCA RESORT; THE ST. REGIS SAADIYAT ISLAND RESORT, ABU DHABI; THE ST. REGIS LHASA RESORT

For further information visit us at www.stregis.com/honeymoons

ST. REGIS HONEYMOONS

Glass House Transcend the Traditional

Outfitted for modern romance, these edited yet stylized addresses appeal to couples who seek an escape from the confines of formality and prefer clean lines and bright, geometric spaces instead. These metropolitan addresses offer guests a series of moments that unfold with warm and ease amidst unpretentious, elegant settings.

A SELECTION OF GLASS HOUSE HOTELS AND RESORTS: THE ST. REGIS SAN FRANCISCO; THE ST. REGIS MEXICO CITY; THE ST. REGIS BANGKOK; THE ST. REGIS ISTANBUL; THE ST. REGIS BAL HARBOUR RESORT

For further information visit us at www.stregis.com/honeymoons 9

ST. REGIS HONEYMOONS

Metropolitan Manor Timeless, Modern Retreats

Steal away for a honeymoon experience that appeals to the discerning. These exquisite cosmopolitan addresses harken to a time of timeless grace and elegance, where each moment is tailored, and where the most refined social and cultural pursuits are at your fingertips.

A SELECTION OF METROPOLITAN MANOR HOTELS AND RESORTS: THE ST. REGIS NEW YORK; THE ST. REGIS FLORENCE; THE ST. REGIS OSAKA; THE ST. REGIS MUMBAI; THE ST. REGIS ABU DHABI

For further information visit us at www.stregis.com/honeymoons 10

The Aficionado’s Guide

An introduction to St. Regis hotels and resorts around the world, in alphabetical order by region Page #

AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi The St. Regis Cairo The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi The St. Regis Doha The St. Regis Dubai The St. Regis Mauritius Resort

THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Aspen Resort 20 The St. Regis Atlanta 21 The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico 22 The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort 23 The St. Regis Deer Valley 24 The St. Regis Houston 25 The St. Regis Mexico City 26 The St. Regis New York 27 The St. Regis Princeville Resort 28 The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort 29 The St. Regis San Francisco 30 The St. Regis Washington, D.C. 31

ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Bali Resort The St. Regis Bangkok The St. Regis Beijing The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort The St. Regis Changsha The St. Regis Chengdu The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur The St. Regis Langkawi The St. Regis Lhasa Resort The St. Regis Macao The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort The St. Regis Mumbai The St. Regis Osaka The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort The St. Regis Shenzhen The St. Regis Singapore The St. Regis Tianjin

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EUROPE

The St. Regis Florence The St. Regis Istanbul The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya The St. Regis Rome

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THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Enduring Legacy, Arabian Sophistication

ASK US ABOUT Explore Abu Dhabi by bicycle.

Enjoy a bike ride on the famed Abu Dhabi Corniche. The Corniche Road offers an impressive eight kilometers of manicured waterfront that includes children’s play areas, separate cycle and pedestrian pathways, cafés and restaurants.

The ornate Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which can house up to 41,000 worshippers, making it the eighth-largest mosque in the world.

Arrive around 4:30pm (except Fridays) to catch the afternoon sunlight glinting on the mosque’s 82 domes of differing sizes.

The guest room of the Al Hosen Suite; the Nation Riviera Beach Club

It’s easy to understand the appeal of The St. Regis Abu Dhabi. The capital of the United Arab Emirates is fast developing a major arts and cultural scene, turning the city into an ever more sophisticated metropolis blessed with cutting-edge architecture and world-class sports. Part of the prestigious Nation Towers complex on the Corniche, a five-mile stretch adjacent to the Arabian Gulf where you’ll find walking and cycling paths and children’s play areas, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is the ideal homeaway-from-home. Don’t miss the Luxury Nation Galleria Vox Cinemas directly connected to The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, with 11 cinemas including four Gold Class. Relax and soak up the sun with a refreshing cocktail on the private beachfront at the exclusive Nation Riviera Beach Club, home to Asia de Cuba, a lounge, restaurant and beach deck complete with outdoor bar, and Catch Restaurant and Lounge Abu Dhabi, where an open kitchen allows guests to interact with the chefs and watch as ingredients are transformed into delectable dishes.

Caviar tasting. Perched above the Persian Gulf on the region’s highest helipad, learn about and sample the truly luxurious world of caviar with experts from the internationally acclaimed Gourmet House.

Abu Dhabi’s pristine Corniche beach has been awarded coveted Blue Flag status – the international accreditation that guarantees clean and safe water for swimming and snorkeling.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Yas Waterworld on Yas Island, where funseekers pour in from far and wide looking for thrills all day long at this state-of-the-art theme park. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BEST FACIAL IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ELEMIS MIDDLE EAST AWARDS 2016 VILLA TOSCANA – BEST ITALIAN CUISINE IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, WORLD LUXURY SPA & RESTAURANT AWARDS 2016

Nation Towers, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates u T. (971) (2) 694 4444 u info.abudhabi@stregis.com 283 guest rooms and suites; 7 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; private beach; children’s club stregis.com/abudhabi 14

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Cairo Modern Egyptian Grandeur

ASK US ABOUT The Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

No visit to Egypt is complete without a visit to this awe-inspiring museum, which contains the world’s most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts. The original collection of Pharaonic antiquities was established in the late 19th century and transferred in 1902 to its current home in Tahrir Square. Expert guides can be booked to lead you through the galleries of this iconic building.

The hotel’s impressive exterior at night; a guest bedroom with a spectacular Nile view

The St. Regis Cairo rises tall, overlooking the ancient River Nile and the bustling Egyptian capital. Drawing inspiration from the refinement and elegance of The St. Regis New York, this new addition to the St. Regis portfolio is a unique expression of modern Egyptian grandeur, and one that promises to redefine the luxury landscape in Cairo. The 39-story hotel and residential complex is located in the heart of this vibrant metropolis in close proximity to fine dining, high end shopping and the city’s historic sights, including the Pyramids. Featuring 366 luxurious rooms, suites and serviced apartments, a Iridium Spa and Butler service, the hotel is poised to become Cairo’s most coveted address. Within the hotel, guests can choose from 10 restaurants, bars and lounges that include authentic Middle Eastern and Pan Asian cuisine, a Poolside Grill, Bar and Library, while the sumptuously decorated 966 square meter Grand Ballroom, with its grand crystal staircases, Swarovski crystal chandeliers and three-story-high ceiling, is ideally suited for upscale business events and lavish celebrations.

A visit to Khan el-Khalili. Our staff can arrange transportation to this famous souk, one of the world’s oldest and greatest covered markets.

Founded in 1382, it was where the great camel caravans originally used to arrive after their long journeys. Today it is a bustling retail center where you can buy all kinds of local and international goods. But be prepared to haggle.

A tour of ancient Egyptian sites.

Discover the majesty of this amazing ancient civilization with a private tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx, the necropolis of Sakkara and the former capital, Memphis.

Your personal Egyptologist will guide and inform you, ensuring a once-in-alifetime experience.

DEBUTS OCTOBER 2016

1189 Nile Corniche, Cairo, Egypt u info.cairo@stregis.com 366 guest rooms, suites and apartments; 10 restaurants, bars and lounges; spa; indoor and outdoor pools; fitness center stregis.com/cairo 15

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi Visionary Destination, Seductive Address

ASK US ABOUT Exciting upcoming events.

Abu Dhabi will play host to three prestigious events during November: Taste of Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Art, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The Abu Dhabi Pearl Journey.

Sail on a traditional dhow among the mangrove trees of the Arabian Gulf for a demonstration of the ancient art of pearl diving.

Playing a round at the championship Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, just a few minutes away. The beachfront course was designed by Gary Player.

Three saltwater lakes, dunes and the beach itself are challenges along the way of this par-72 course. Lessons can be arranged.

Exterior view of the hotel from the beach; the Majestic Suite

Saadiyat is an island of only ten square miles, but it packs a lot into that space. Just 15 minutes’ drive from the center of Abu Dhabi, it has a white sand beach, a designer golf course and, very soon, offshoots of both the Louvre and Guggenheim museums. It’s a chic retreat from the bustle of the city. The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort’s architecture and interior design are stunning, showcasing the bold design principles of the award-winning architecture firm Woods Bagot and Johannesburgbased Northpoint Architects. Each room has panoramic vistas of the Gulf or golf course and interiors that meld Spanish and Arabian elements with a contemporary edge. In addition to business facilities, the resort has an Iridium spa offering products from luxury skincare brand ESPA, four swimming pools, a dedicated children’s club and the state-ofthe-art St. Regis Athletic Club. Dolphins frolic in the blue waters, while nearby Saadiyat Beach is a nesting site for hawksbill turtles.

A visit to Yas Mall. Our staff can arrange transportation to this glittering new shopping destination, Abu Dhabi’s biggest mall, just 10 minutes from the hotel.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Ferrari Fun. Explore the world’s first and largest indoor theme park, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. It has more than 20 unique rides and attractions including the world’s fastest rollercoaster, dedicated entertainment, themed stores and restaurants. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 8pm. Learn more at stregis.com/ familytraditions

WORLD’S BEST GOLF HOTEL, WORLD GOLF AWARDS 2015 ABU DHABI’S LEADING BEACH RESORT, WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2015

Saadiyat Island, P.O. Box 54345, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates u T. (971) (2) 4988888 u saadiyat@stregis.com 377 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; beach; golf; children’s club stregis.com/saadiyatisland 16

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Doha The Finest Address in Qatar

ASK US ABOUT The St. Regis Grand Brunch.

Take Fridays to a new level with this lavish family celebration offering 16 food stations, live entertainment and activities for children.

Discover the art of baking and cake decorating. Bernadine “Jojo” Rego invites guests of all ages and skills to learn how to make, bake and decorate cakes in her studio, located just a short drive from The St. Regis Doha.

Visit Shahaniya, less than an hour away, where you can experience the famous camel races and the stunning Islamic art of the Sheikh Faisal Museum.

The hotel’s postmodern Arabian exterior is both bold and welcoming; enjoy the cool ambience of the Sarab Lounge Terrace

Doha has transformed itself in an incredibly short time. Now the media and arts capital of its region, a major player in the aviation stakes and the host of the 2022 World Cup, it’s an ultra-cosmopolitan capital.

Victorian travelers needed to visit Florence, Paris and Vienna, but any 21st-century Grand Tour would definitely take in this city. The St. Regis Doha, with its postmodern Arabian architecture and panoramic views of the Persian Gulf, is a fitting address for a stay. The Rooftop lounge brings to Doha the urban chic of New York, Beirut and London. Guests ascend from the private entrance in the lower floor of the hotel and step out onto a breathtaking, stylish and spacious terrace. Five miles from the main diplomatic and financial districts and close to several of the big energy corporate headquarters, it makes business sense to base yourself at The St. Regis Doha.

A traditional dhow cruise. Cruise on a traditional wooden dhow and stop off near the island of Saflia for watersports. Arabian BBQ lunch or dinner is served.

Explore Dukhan and the west coast.

Set off among the oil wells and visit the Zekreet peninsula, Umbrella Rock and the replica ancient Arabian village of Film City.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Desert safari. In the south of Qatar, this family trip is a thrilling ride into the dunes. Enjoy a picnic lunch, sand boarding, camel riding and desert quad biking. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BEST MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT, BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT AND HOTEL OF THE YEAR AT THE FOOD AND TRAVEL GCC AWARDS 2016

Doha West Bay, Doha 14435, Qatar u T. (974) 44460000 u doha.butler@stregis.com 336 guest rooms and suites; 11 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; tennis; private beach stregis.com/doha 17

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Dubai The New World Address

ASK US ABOUT A heritage falconry and wildlife safari. This interactive falconry experience also includes a guided tour through the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve in search of animals such as gazelles and oryx.

An overnight safari and sunrise balloon flight. Take a ride through Dubai’s Desert Conservation Reserve in an open-top vintage Land Rover, and visit a Bedouin-inspired camp where you’ll be treated to a traditional dance show, henna tattooing, shisha pipes and camel riding. A four-course feast under the stars follows, while the night winds down around a bonfire.

Sleep in Arabic tents and start the next day at sunrise with a stunning hot air balloon ride over the desert.

The hotel’s impressive exterior; an Empire Suite Living Room

Inviting guests to experience John Jacob Astor IV’s vision of the finest hotel in the world, The St. Regis Dubai transports you back to the 18th century with its beaux-arts inspired design accentuated with bespoke elements. Located on the arterial Sheikh Zayed Road, the hotel is part of Al Habtoor City, which includes a Las Vegas-style theatre, called La Perle, and is only a short drive away from The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and Dubai’s financial district. Its Iridium Spa boasts six treatment rooms (three male, three female) and two Hammams, and focuses on the rarest luxury of all: time. Other recreational facilities include two rooftop pools as well as a 24-hour fitness center. The hotel’s eight culinary destinations include J&G Steakhouse; Brasserie Quartier, a modern French brasserie and Sidra, the lobby lounge for the signature St. Regis Tea Ritual. Inspired by the original address in New York while embracing the world’s new hotspot, Dubai, The St. Regis Dubai pays homage to two iconic cities, emerging as The New World Address.

The Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Cultural Understanding offers a range of award-winning programs to raise awareness of and demystify the culture, customs and religion of the United Arab Emirates.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: A seaplane tour. Marvel at spectacular views of Dubai and Abu Dhabi on a dramatic seaplane flight along the Arabian Gulf. See the world’s tallest building as you soar over the Burj Khalifa and fly to Yas Marina to spend the afternoon at the Ferrari World. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

Al Habtoor City, P.O. Box 26666, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates u T. (971) 4 435 5555 u Dubai.Butler@stregis.com 234 guest rooms and suites; 8 restaurants and bars; spa; 2 rooftop pools; helipad stregis.com/dubai 18

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Mauritius Resort Island Sanctuary

ASK US ABOUT Seakarts. Speed across breathtaking aquamarine lagoons in a Seakart – part jet ski, part hovercraft, these amazing new speedboats are exclusive to Mauritius.

Discover La Rhumerie de Chamarel with a personal guide and be immersed in the process of making exquisite rum from beginning to end.

Then, make your own cocktail to savor. Enjoy lunch at L’Alchimiste Restaurant prepared with the local produce of La Rhumerie.

Discover the flavors of capital Port Louis. Our itinerary is a walk through the capital’s streets to explore its heritage. Along the way we will stop to try typical foods that reflect the island’s different ethnicities.

Aerial view of Le Morne peninsula; a St. Regis Grand Suite Bedroom, just steps away from the beach and lagoon

The Indian Ocean is famed for many things: blissful beaches, indigo seas, sublime diving and a vibrant culture that melds Asian and African traditions. Mauritius brings all these together, then adds a few more.

Sheltered from the open sea by the world’s third largest coral reef, the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” also harbors, inland, some of the planet’s most beautiful mountain scenery: lofty waterfalls, lush forests and wildlife that you won’t find anywhere else, such as the Mauritian flying fox. The St. Regis Mauritius Resort has a beachfront setting at Le Morne, a seductive peninsula at the south-western tip of the island, and will indulge you with fine food and wine, spa experiences, world-class kite surfing, activities and excursions to excite the senses. An epicenter of culture and history, the peninsula has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008, and is less than 60 minutes’ drive from the capital and 20 minutes’ drive from the famed Black River Gorges National Park.

Cycle back in time as you take a cultural tour through life on a sugar estate. Zip through sugar cane fields to a Hindu temple with its colorful carvings of deities where the Indian laborers came to pray.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Explore the coves and stunning lagoons of the south-west coastline and snorkel in crystal clear waters. Then sail on to the famous Bénitiers Island where you will relax and enjoy a mouth-watering seafood barbecue. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

LUXURY TRAVEL GUIDE AWARDS 2016, LUXURY HOTEL OF THE YEAR WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2015, LEADING SPA RESORT MAURITIUS

Le Morne Peninsula, Le Morne, Mauritius u T. (230) 403 9000 u stregismauritius@stregis.com 172 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; beach; gym; children’s club stregis.com/mauritius 19

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Aspen Resort Majestic Spirit of the Rockies

ASK US ABOUT Studio Eminence photography.

Enjoy a complimentary tour of the resort while Studio Eminence captures stunning images of you and your loved ones in breathtaking mountain settings.

Guests will receive one complimentary 8x10 print to take home.

The Remède Spa Lemon Lavender Pedicure – includes filing and cuticle treatment, along with a soothing foot and leg massage, hot stones application to the feet and legs, and polish application.

The hotel viewed from the base of Aspen Mountain; a Deluxe Double Fireplace Guestroom

Aspen is a special place where people can lose themselves in nature, yet find great pleasure in the many sports available. Yoga, fly fishing, clay shooting, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, sleigh rides… the menu of sporting experiences rivals the food and drink you’ll enjoy here. There is also an arts scene and of course great spa-based activities.

The Remède Spa boasts warm, elegant, earthy tones and was voted Best Spa in the World, 2014 by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine.

Comprehensively redesigned by acclaimed architect Lauren Rottet, and now with a renovated Red Mountain building – with new-look Loft Suites and One Bedroom Fireplace Suites – The St. Regis Aspen Resort is in downtown Aspen, within walking distance of Aspen’s shops, restaurants and entertainment. The celebrated Chefs Club by FOOD & WINE adds America’s most innovative cuisine to your resort experience, while the new winter cocktail menu in the Shadow Mountain Lounge highlights warm, bold flavors and local spirits along with a refreshed wine list that includes our new sommelier Ericka Briscoe’s recommended wines.

Remède Spa Honey Aloe Body Wrap.

Crafted to hydrate, soothe, and rejuvenate the body, this traditional wrap utilizes aloe and honey to great effect. The aloe relieves the skin from daily sun exposure while local honey hydrates, leaving skin with a youthful glow. The treatment includes a jar of local honey from Wild Bear Bee Farm for guests to take home.

Aspen Radiance package, enjoy unlimited daily access, at special prices, to the Shakti Shala yoga studio.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The St. Regis Aspen Resort’s new snowman-making kits.

Available to purchase at the front desk.

Each kit comes with coal, carrots, two sticks for arms, and a hat and scarf. A magical experience for all the family to enjoy in any of the nearby parks.

VIRTUOSO, BEST OF THE BEST HOTEL AWARDS 2016 SMART MEETINGS, BEST MOUNTAIN AND SKI RESORT 2016

315 East Dean Street, Aspen, Colorado 81611, United States u T. (970) 920 3300 u aspen.reservations@stregis.com 179 guest rooms and suites; 3 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; golf; ski stregis.com/aspen 20

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Atlanta Refining Southern Tradition

ASK US ABOUT SkyView Atlanta. Experience breathtaking panoramic views of downtown Atlanta and the surrounding areas from nearly 20 stories above Centennial Park. For an enhanced experience, enjoy the VIP gondola, featuring Ferrari-style seats, glass floors, and a longer trip time.

Artistry in Atlanta. After a romantic and graciously presented dinner at our signature restaurant, Atlas, enjoy a personal tour of the High Museum, the leading art museum in the South East.

The hotel entrance; the dining room of the Empire Suite

Atlanta is known for its breezy, Southern, uncomplicated approach to life, business, culture… and just about everything else. It’s a perfect city for getting things done and for enjoying some great boutique shopping, cuisine, art, jazz and sports: major league baseball, basketball and football teams are based here. The King Center, the CNN headquarters (which is open for tours), the Atlanta Ballet and Symphony Orchestra are all a short drive from The St. Regis Atlanta. Dinner-only restaurant Atlas features a seasonally inspired American menu accented with European influences and decorated with masterpieces from the Lewis Collection by Picasso, Van Gogh and Chagall, among others. If you’re in the mood for a bourbon, try The St. Regis Atlanta Woodford Reserve, hand selected by our team in Kentucky’s legendary Woodford Reserve Distillery.

An evening of culture. Atlanta is known for its many social calendar events, such as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera and Atlanta Ballet. After an intimate dinner at Astor Court, attend one of these outstanding cultural experiences, then go behind the scenes to tour the theater and visit the company following the performance. In support of the fine arts, 20% of your total hotel bill will be donated to the Opera, Orchestra or Ballet Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The Cacao Atlanta factory. Take a private guided tour and create your own bespoke bean-to-bar chocolate.

Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

AWARDED AAA FIVE DIAMOND, 2016 FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE 2016 AWARD WINNER

Eighty-Eight West Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, Georgia 30305, United States u T. (404) 563 7900 u stregisatlanta@stregis.com 151 guest rooms and suites; 4 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym stregis.com/atlanta 21

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico Caribbean Indulgence

ASK US ABOUT Gourmet picnics. Enjoy a romantic lunch, brunch or early dinner al fresco with our customized picnic baskets.

A private yacht tour with water sports. Puerto Rico’s warm tropical waters are perfect for sea-kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing and fishing.

Experience the world’s longest and tallest zipline, The Monster, located in the city of Orocovis.

Bird Watching. Marvel at the amazing bird life at the nearby bird sanctuary Learn to kite-surf off the pristine beach on the gentle tides of the azure Atlantic Ocean.

The Plantation House entrance; two miles of pristine beach

Puerto Rico is where American and Latin American cultures meld and clash and get up to dance. A key center of the salsa music revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, it is still the home of many star performers. The island is a much-loved beach destination, but it is also known for its distinctive cuisine, culture and Caribbean vibe. Located on a former coconut plantation, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is the only FiveDiamond resort on Puerto Rico. The expansive 483-acre property boasts views of El Yunque National Forest (with trails galore through the forest) and the Atlantic Ocean, and its low-rise plantation-style buildings have been designed with the natural surroundings in mind. There’s a twomile secluded beach, a bird sanctuary, a Remède spa and a golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. Experience casual barefoot dining at The Spot Beach Bar and Grill, or try the new Sugar Beach Bar, which offers a relaxed atmosphere and a menu of light dishes and drinks.

Practice speaking Spanish and learn the art of salsa dancing at our family-friendly sessions.

A private curator-led tour of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, home to works of art from the 17th century to the present day, with museum director Juan Carlos López.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: A Nature Sanctuary River Tour sponsored by Alma de Bahia Beach. Learn about the area’s flora and wildlife and in the process, raise money to help stray dogs and cats.

Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

AWARDED AAA FIVE DIAMOND, 2016 TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE 2016

State Road 187 kilometer 4.2, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico 00745, United States u T. (787) 809 8000 u reservations.bahiabeach@stregis.com 139 guest rooms and suites; 3 restaurants and 3 bars; spa; pool; gym; tennis; beach; children’s club, nature trails, aquatic park stregis.com/bahiabeach 22

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort Miami Beach’s Most Exclusive Enclave

ASK US ABOUT A private art tour of Wynwood.

The renowned Wynwood Art District is one of the largest open-air art installations in the world, as well as being home to more than 70 museums, galleries and collections.

A private in-boutique consultation with the Graff diamond house.

Learn about what inspires Laurence Graff, discover the latest collection of extraordinary gemstones and watches and receive a special gift from Graff.

Hiring a private guide to show you the coolest film locations. Miami has been a movie set for celluloid classics, such as Goldfinger, Scarface and There’s Something about Mary. It’s a hugely entertaining trip to discover the real places in front of Hollywood’s lens.

The resort’s oceanside pool; the bedroom of the Imperial Suite

Miami is a city that never loses its buzz. Art Basel, South Beach’s effervescent social whirl, the global chic of sophisticated urbanites, the rediscovery of Art Deco: all these have kept the world’s attention on one of the cities that will define America’s future. Exclusive Bal Harbour, on Miami Beach, has a rich history as a hotspot attracting jazz musicians, including those Rat Pack legends. It’s now one of South Florida’s premier retail arenas, with more than 100 boutiques and dozens of superb bistros and cafés. With the Atlantic right on its doorstep, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort has become one of the key sites of Miami’s buzzing social scene. The hotel’s new BH Burger Bar is located on the lobby level offering a customizable menu featuring build-yourown burgers, gourmet franks, wings, signature sides and indulgent shakes paired with local craft beer, all in a lively and relaxed space. From the decadent Signature Burger and the Truffle Parmesan Tater Tots to the Wagyu Beef Dog and the Salted Caramel Milkshake, the new BH Burger Bar sets a new standard for casual yet elevated fare in Bal Harbour.

Old Miami: rent a vintage car (open-top, of course) and drive around the historic Art Deco district.

Or make a day of it and, afterwards, head out to the Keys.

A craft brewery tour of Wynwood.

Miami’s craft beer scene is booming, with a host of new breweries opening, many of them in Wynwood.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Our newly reopened Sea Turtle Club has doubled in size and offers full and half day programing for our younger guests.

FORBES, FIVE STARS, 2016; AWARDED AAA FIVE DIAMOND 2016 U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, BEST HOTEL IN FLORIDA 2016

9703 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Miami Beach, Florida 33154, United States u T. (305) 993 3300 u info.balharbour@stregis.com 227 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; spa; gym; children’s club stregis.com/balharbour 23

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Deer Valley Slope-Side Sophistication

ASK US ABOUT Sleigh Ride Dinner. Enjoy an old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride through the majestic scenery of the Park City Mountains, followed by a western-style gourmet meal with live music in an atmospheric mountain lodge.

Bobsledding at Utah Olympic Park.

Experience the thrill of a lifetime in a Comet Bobsled, with a professional pilot taking three passengers on an exhilarating ride down the 2002 Olympic track. Please note that riders must be aged over 16.

The custom adventure of a lifetime.

The St. Regis Deer Valley has teamed up with Elevated Adventure Company to bring guests customized “out of the ordinary” day trips to breathtaking natural wonders by land, air and water.

The pool at The St. Regis Deer Valley; a guest bedroom with a spectacular view

Hit the slopes or relax in the spa, go on a backcountry excursion or explore historic Main Street… The St. Regis Deer Valley is surrounded by the majestic Wasatch Mountains, an all-season playground for both the adventure and relaxation seeker. The two buildings of The St. Regis Deer Valley are connected by a funicular rail line, the only one of its kind in the U.S., which makes for easy, and unique, access from the base of the mountain to the resorts. Once settled in, try our Remède Spa where a reflecting pool flows from outside the resort into the spa’s first-floor lobby and a grand spiral staircase leads to 11 peaceful treatment rooms in the 14,000-squarefoot spa. Or dine in our award-winning Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, J&G Grill, featuring farm-to-table elegance. With all of St. Regis Deer Valley year-round family traditions and recreational activities, unique and memorable experiences are waiting at every turn.

High West Distillery. Enjoy a tour of the first legal distillery to open in Utah since the end of Prohibition.

Go behind the scenes and learn about Rocky Mountain whiskies and other mountain-crafted spirits.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Children’s club. Our younger guests are invited to join us for arts and crafts or a game of giant chess.

AAA FIVE DIAMOND AWARD GOLD LIST 2014, CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

2300 Deer Valley Drive East, Park City, Utah 84060, United States u T. (435) 940 5700 u deervalley.reservations@stregis.com 181 guest rooms and suites; 3 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; ski stregis.com/deervalley 24

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Houston Explore Houston’s Best Address

ASK US ABOUT A tour of the St. Arnolds Brewery.

Take a trip round this fascinating Houston landmark, which is the oldest craft brewery in Texas.

Sunday afternoons at the Houston Polo Club. Spend an unforgettable afternoon at this historic club, founded in 1928, where private box seats await you for an action-packed match. At half time, take to the field and join in the tradition of the divot stomp, accompanied by champagne.

Independence Plaza at Space Center Houston is a new international landmark, offering an experience like nothing else in the world. Enter the shuttle replica Independence, mounted on top of the original NASA 905 shuttle carrier aircraft, and then explore the giant plane.

The destination swimming pool; the master bedroom of the Presidential Suite

Energy and power, Texan pride and individuality, open space and outer space, Houston is the big-muscled business capital of the Lone Star State. If the city has a reputation for getting things done and no messing around, The St. Regis Houston, in the tranquil, residential neighborhood of Post Oak Park and River Oaks, is the perfect complement. It is gracious, opulent and discreet. It’s also conveniently located only half a mile from the Galleria retail area and six miles from Houston’s central business district. Celebrated design firm ForrestPerkins has created a warm and welcoming Tea Lounge with a library so guests can punctuate their outings with morning coffee, afternoon tea or pre-dinner cocktails.

The spectacular outdoor pool and sundeck, located on the mezzanine level and adjacent to the spa and fitness room, draw guests back time after time. It is open from 5am until 11pm daily, for guests who love to work hard and play hard as well.

A tour of Bayou Bend Collection, the MFAH house museum of decorative arts and paintings. Set amid 14 acres of gardens, the former home of philanthropist Ima Hogg showcases superb American furnishings, silverware and ceramics.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: George Ranch Historical Park is the essence of Texas, a living-history museum tracing the Texas story, with exhibits including a prairie home, a mansion and a ranch complex with cattle demonstrations. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

AWARDED AAA FIVE DIAMOND, 2015 GOLD MEDAL WINNER VOTED BY GLOBAL BUSINESS TRAVEL ASSOCIATION

1919 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston, Texas 77027-3408, United States u T. (713) 840 7600 u res247.stregishouston@stregis.com 232 guest rooms and suites; 2 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; exercise room stregis.com/houston 25

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Mexico City Grace and Distinction Uncompromised

ASK US ABOUT An indulgent spa ritual. Enjoy a curated moon ritual spa experience which will eliminate toxins by using natural ingredients and oils to promote good health and wellbeing.

Sky Yoga. Book a private yoga session at the resort’s helipad, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the Mexico City skyline as our expert instructor puts you through your paces.

Ballooning to ancient Teotihuacan.

This complex of temples and pyramids is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A particularly magical way to view this extraordinary site is with a guided hot-air balloon adventure from Mexico City.

The sleek hotel dominates the Mexico City skyline; one of the suites’ living rooms

The St. Regis Mexico City, an idyllic urban resort, is the main resident of the Torre Libertad, an architectural masterpiece built by César Pelli. It sits on Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma, a grand thoroughfare modeled on the Old World’s iconic boulevards, and a bridge between the city center and the Imperial Palace in the Chapultepec Forest. In the heart of the metropolis, you can, from the helipad, take in views of the most mind-boggling urban sprawl. Don’t miss the new Mercado del Carmen, a new trendy food market filled with artisanal products, spirits, and craft beers, as well as chic boutiques. The hotel’s La Table Krug is the only place in Mexico where the limited edition Champagne Krug Millesime 2000 can be savored. La Table seats only 12 guests and has no menu, but is guided by the creativity of chef Sylvain Desbois, who creates an 11-course menu from the freshest produce in the market. The resort’s Remède Spa recently unveiled a new addition: its sumptuous Sol & Luna Spa Suite, which uses luxurious Elemis products.

El Palacio de los Palacios. The most luxurious mall in Mexico City is a shopping destination in its own right, featuring high-end brands and a gourmet selection of the best champagne, spirits, and produce from around the world.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Mini Bentleys.

The St. Regis Mexico City has introduced mini Bentley cars – a complimentary amenity for toddlers to enjoy when staying at the urban resort.

TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE 2016 BEST CITY HOTEL IN MEXICO, TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD’S BEST AWARDS 2016

Paseo de la Reforma 439, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, Mexico City, Federal District 06500, Mexico u T. (52)(55) 5228 1818 u mexico.city@stregis.com 189 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; tennis; children’s club stregis.com/mexicocity 26

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis New York The Address Is The Experience

ASK US ABOUT An insider’s tour of Grand Central Station. Spend a morning or afternoon behind the scenes, explore the Campbell Apartment and its massive still-sealed vault, the Whispering Gallery and the starry ceiling. To conclude the tour, enjoy a guided oyster tasting at the famous Grand Central Oyster Bar. Motown the Musical. The hit musical recounting the tale of Motown boss Berry Gordy – who launched the careers of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and more – returns to Broadway.

Not-to-be-missed entertainment with unbeatable songs.

The hotel’s famous entrance; the living room of the Bentley Suite

New York City is a collection of exceptional experiences, from the natural beauty of Central Park to the bustle of Broadway, from contemporary art at MoMA to the cobblestone streets of the Meatpacking District. In the heart of it all is The St. Regis New York, the ultimate Manhattan hotel, which completed a stunning renovation in September 2013 – and which more recently has seen the opening of The St. Regis Athletic Club on the 19th floor, plus newly redesigned meeting spaces on the second floor and lower lobby – infusing contemporary style with great heritage. Since opening its doors in 1904, the hotel founded by John Jacob Astor IV has been synonymous with bespoke service, innovation and luxury. The St. Regis New York celebrates a rich history that includes famous residents (Salvador Dalí, Marlene Dietrich) and the invention of the “Red Snapper” – more commonly known as the Bloody Mary – by legendary barman Fernand Petiot in 1934. The classic cocktail can still be enjoyed today in front of the same Maxfield Parrish mural at the hotel’s King Cole Bar.

Apple picking upstate. Throughout October, orchards in upstate New York offer families the chance to pick their own apples, with many hosting kids’ attractions such as hayrides, petting zoos and bouncy castles.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Central Park Escape.

Discover the largest park in Manhattan with our family fun expert guides. They will show you the best of the park’s culture, public art and gardens before you relax and enjoy a picnic lunch prepared by the hotel’s chef. Learn more at stregis.com/ familytraditions

AWARDED AAA FIVE DIAMOND, 2016 BEST HOTEL IN NEW YORK, LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR AWARDS, 2016

2 East 55th Street at Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10022, United States u T. (212) 753 4500 u stregisny.res@stregis.com 238 guest rooms and suites; 1 restaurant and bar; gym stregis.com/newyork 27

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Princeville Resort The Address for Life’s Special Moments

ASK US ABOUT An aerial tour of Kauai is the perfect way to fully experience the island’s hidden natural wonders, many of which are inaccessible by car.

Experience the magnitude of the Napali Coast, hover over the deep chasms of Waimea Canyon, and view the majestic Manawaiopuna Falls – as seen in the film Jurassic Park.

A lesson with a golf professional at the award-winning Makai Golf Club.

The scenic course winds it way around serene lakes, native woodlands and the spectacular coastline with views of Bali Hai and Hanalei Bay.

The stylish dining area of the Royal Suite; the view over the magical Hanalei Bay

The first thing you’ll notice on arrival on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is the remarkable collage of natural beauty wherever you look. Lush tropical foliage is set against a deep blue ocean with a backdrop of majestic mountain peaks. The St. Regis Princeville Resort’s clean, modern exterior is unfussy yet sophisticated, and the lobby is dominated by a cascading chandelier of more than 4,000 pieces of Murano glass, representing the waterfall on Na Molokama mountain. Among the many relaxing treatments on offer at the Halele’a Spa, which utilizes the healing properties of indigenous plants, why not try a Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage to nurture the body and experience perfect relaxation?

Four restaurants serve locally farmed and produced ingredients, and the hotel’s infinity pool overlooks the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

Romantic dinner. The St. Regis Princeville Resort’s romantic dinner experience is a truly private and memorable dining experience for two, at a beautiful outdoor setting enhanced by soft candlelight and Hawaiian torchlight. A chilled bottle of champagne awaits you as you begin an evening of uncompromising enchantment.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Just for baby. Organic baby food made fresh daily is available for our littlest guests. Popular flavors include pureed carrots, broccoli chicken breast and yellow beets. The baby food is available as a private dining option and requires two hours advance notice.

FOUR STAR AWARD FOR HOTEL AND SPA, FORBES TRAVEL GUIDES 2016 VOTED ONE OF THE BEST HOTELS IN THE U.S.A., U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT 2016

5520 Ka Haku Road, Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii 96722, United States u T. (808) 826 9644 u travelspecialist@stregis.com 251 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; beach; gym; tennis; golf; children’s club stregis.com/princeville 28

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort Paradise Revealed

ASK US ABOUT Adventurous bicycle outings into the mountains and jungles of Punta Mita, and to its surrounding beaches and towns.

Encounter the natural wonders of the Marietas Islands. Be part of the conservation efforts at the San Pancho Bird Observatory, and look out for humpback whales, dolphins, and sea turtles en route.

Take a cooking lesson with the hotel’s executive chef, a culinary experience not to be missed.

Community projects. Visit local education and environmental organizations whose mission is to facilitate development based on self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and with full participation and ownership of the entire community.

The living room of the Presidential Suite; beach life with a touch of luxury

On the same latitude as Hawaii, and blessed with year-round balmy sun and ocean breezes, Punta Mita on Mexico’s Pacific Coast is where Mexico City’s high society comes for its beach-side retreats. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort is in the Riviera Nayarit, and boasts 120 luxurious guest rooms and suites, looking out on to a flawless white sand beach and surrounded by luxuriant tropical flora. Carolina, the resort’s AAA Five-Diamond restaurant, welcomed new chef José Meza in 2015.

It has now been joined by new culinary outlet, Altamira Cantina Gourmet, alongside the recently refurbished Las Marietas breakfast and lunch restaurant. The resort also boasts two Jack Nicklaus golf courses, five full-service restaurants, villa residences, a Beach Club and the luxe Remède Spa on site. But this is no gated island experience: nearby seaside villages are kept vibrant by fishing and agriculture and by the indigenous Huichol, who maintain their artisanal traditions.

A gourmet cruise through Banderas Bay aboard a luxury yacht with specialty cocktails and exquisite food prepared by the hotel chef.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Discover The St. Regis Children’s Polo Club Kit, a fully equipped polo set curated by polo star and St. Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras. Younger guests are now also invited to drive a Bentley Mini Car around the Children’s Club.

AWARDED AAA FIVE DIAMOND, 2016 TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE, 2016

Lote H-4, Carretera Federal 200, KM 19.5, Punta Mita, Nayarit 63734, Mexico u T. (52)(329) 291 5800 u puntamita.butler@stregis.com 120 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; 3 pools; beach; spa; golf; diving; tennis; gym; children’s club stregis.com/puntamita 29

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis San Francisco An Icon of Elegance and Artistry

ASK US ABOUT The Valentino Aficionado Package.

Enjoy a private in-suite shopping experience with the latest collection from iconic Italian fashion brand Valentino, and a gentleman’s facial.

A culinary tour of San Francisco, with Emmy Award-winning radio and TV personality Liam Mayclem, better known as “The Foodie Chap”.

Graff diamond consultation. The legendary diamond house would like to invite guests to a private in-boutique consultation with Graff San Francisco’s Salon Director.

Guests can learn about what inspires Laurence Graff and discover the latest collections, with all guests receiving a special gift from Graff.

The magnificent mural in the lobby lounge; a view across the city from the Astor Suite

The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, cable cars, beaches, beautiful city vistas, the breezes… it’s little wonder San Francisco tops many people’s lists of must-see cities. The St. Regis San Francisco is on the corner of Third and Mission, a short walk from the financial district, but when you have downtime, the city is a great playground for cultural days and nights on the town. On your doorstep you’ll find the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of the African Diaspora, world-class shopping in Union Square, and the Yerba Buena Gardens. Take a trip out of town to enjoy Napa and Sonoma Valleys, the coastal towns of Carmel, Pebble Beach and Monterey, or the redwood trees in Muir Woods. Relax in the Remède Spa, with its recently updated menu of treatments, or simply unwind and enjoy our extraordinary property, starting with the stunning city views from the infinity pool.

San Francisco Fall Art & Antiques Show. Now in its 35th year, the oldest continuously operating international antiques show on the West Coast brings numerous distinguished antiques dealers from America and Europe to the Fort Mason Center from October 26-30.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Try our new Master Blender activity, where kids try their hand at blending their own grape juice concoction, or visit the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the California Academy of Sciences or the Exploratorium.

FIVE-STAR AWARD, FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE #1 HOTEL IN SAN FRANCISCO, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

125 3rd Street, San Francisco, California 94103, United States u T. (415) 284 4000 u sanfrancisco@stregis.com 260 guest rooms and suites; 2 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym stregis.com/sanfrancisco 30

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: THE AMERICAS

The St. Regis Washington, D.C. Where Glamour Meets Tradition

ASK US ABOUT A private tour of the Renwick Gallery. A branch of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Renwick focuses on American craft and decorative arts from the 19th to the 21st century.

The Newseum. Located on historic Pennsylvania Avenue, the Newseum is dedicated to free expression and the five freedoms of the First Amendment: religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Its seven levels of interactive exhibits include 15 galleries and 15 theaters.

The hotel exterior at night on K Street; the elegant St. Regis bar

In the city of powerful addresses, the grand, gracious St. Regis Washington, D.C., two blocks north of the White House, remains the powerbrokers’ hotel of choice. It was opened by President Coolidge in 1926; Ronald Reagan used to drop in to see his barber, Milton Pitts; and Jacqueline Onassis, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor were loyal guests. Over the years, redesigns by Henry Wardman and Sills Huniford have enhanced the legendary status of this, one of America’s most iconic hotels. Business and politics are right on the doorstep, but the hotel is also close to the cultural heart of D.C., a short stroll from the splendors of the Smithsonian and the Kennedy Center. Eat at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Decanter, which serves the freshest seasonal local ingredients by our executive chef, influenced by the cuisines of France, Spain, Turkey and Italy, and served in a landmark restaurant designed by architect David Rockwell.

A private guided tour of the Newseum. This unique behind-thescenes tour of the Newseum’s most popular exhibits includes “First Dogs: American Presidents and Their Pets” showcasing images and stories about some of the top dogs who have resided at the nation’s most prestigious address. Your personal guide will take you to areas not included on the traditional tour.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Let’s go for a ride! Enjoy a customized bike tour through Washington’s most iconic neighborhoods, with a picnic lunch.

Your guide, on two wheels, will help you discover our nation’s capital from a different perspective.

FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE, FOUR-STAR AWARD TRIPADVISOR SUPERIOR SERVICE RECOGNITION AWARD, 2016

923 16th and K Streets, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, 20006 United States u T (202) 638 2626 u reservations@stregis.com 172 guest rooms and suites; 2 restaurants and bars; gym stregis.com/washingtondc 31

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Bali Resort Beachfront Elegance

ASK US ABOUT The best of Bali uncovered, including an exploration of some of our more secluded beaches, a personalized surfing or paddle boarding lesson and a short hike to a spectacular set of waterfalls.

Tour the coastline on a superyacht.

Begin your journey with a massage at the Remède spa where a special sunscreen formula will be prepared to protect your skin for a full day aboard one of Asia Pacific’s most exclusive super yachts, the Lady R, and an unforgettable trip along the coastline.

Suitable for the entire family.

The private sandy beach at the southernmost tip of Bali; the exterior of Strand Villa

Bali is the best known of several thousand Indonesian islands and has been inhabited since 2000 BC. Its natural wonders are the main draw: beautiful beaches, colorful coral reefs, a central mountain range and dense tropical rainforest harboring many species of flora and fauna, including orchids, butterflies, ferns, birds and monkeys. The St. Regis Bali Resort is in Nusa Dua, on the southernmost tip of the island overlooking the Indian Ocean, with a private sandy beach, a saltwater swimmable lagoon and the sublime Remède Spa with its hydrotherapy pool. It’s the perfect base for a Bali break. From your journey around the island, take back souvenirs of local crafts, such as woodcarving, weaving, and colorful batik textiles, which make wonderful gifts. In the evening, dine in style at Kayuputi or enjoy the traditional live gamelan music along with Indonesian specialties at Dulang. For the ultimate in luxury, take the newly refurbished Strand Villa.

A rare experience with John Hardy jewelry. Explore exclusive design workshops at the private compound of John Hardy jewelry near Ubud where remarkable artisans create exquisite pieces. An exclusive package has been designed for guests of The St. Regis Bali Resort.

Mount Batur volcano sunrise trekking. Experience sunrise at 1,717 meters on Mount Batur, one of the tallest mountains in Bali, with a two-hour guided hike.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The Children’s Learning Center, in its own tropical park, has intelligent, fun-filled activities for younger guests.

CONDÈ NAST TRAVELER GOLD LIST 2016, FAVORITE BEACH RESORT IN THE WORLD BEST INTERNATIONAL RESORT HOTEL, INTERNATIONAL HOTEL AWARDS 2016

Kawasan Pariwisata, Lot S6, PO Box 44, Nusa Dua, Bali 80363, Indonesia u T. (62) (361) 8478 111 u stregis.bali@stregis.com 123 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; beach; gym; children’s club stregis.com/bali 32

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Bangkok Vibrant Location, Discreet Hospitality

ASK US ABOUT Join our fifth anniversary celebration with a special room package available until 31 March 2017. The “Royal Five Year” and the “Five Year Anniversary” feature a room stay complemented by signature St. Regis rituals and traditions, such as a 90-minute couple massage with facial treatments at the Elemis spa and a 7-course dégustation menu at Jojo.

A private tour of the city’s treasures.

Join your personal guide on a tour of landmark sights including Rattanakosin Island, the Bangkok Noi and Bang Luang Canals, the flower markets and the National Museum.

The St. Regis Bangkok overlooks the Royal Bangkok Sports Club; the living room in the John Jacob Astor Suite

Tuk-tuks, trucks, riverboats, bicycles, boats and buses... the Thai capital is a whirling mass of energy that will surprise returning visitors as much as first-timers. But Bangkok is a warm and friendly place, thanks to its people, and you can always follow up that sweltering morning’s outing, business meeting or hike around the spectacular 18th-century Grand Palace with a slow meal of the most fragrant cuisine on earth. Your oasis of calm in this vibrant city, The St. Regis Bangkok’s soothing décor immerses guests in luxury from the moment they arrive. It might be in the fast-beating heart of central Bangkok, but it is also just moments from the peaceful Lumpini Park, with its lawns, trees and boating lake.

What could be better than starting your evening with cocktails in the Sky Lounge, watching the sun set on another eventful day?

Exploring Bangkok’s art institutions.

Take a guided visit to leading galleries such as Whitespace and the Jim Thompson House for a tour of the antiquities collection of the man who “rediscovered” Thai silk.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Enjoy a hands-on kitchen experience that is great for the whole family with a guided cooking class hosted by our executive chef. Have some fun in the kitchen as our chef shares culinary secrets and prepares a special lunch for you to savor together, which may be anything from pizzas to sushi, along with child-friendly desserts like cupcakes or tiramisu.

Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

TRIPADVISOR CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE, 2016 VOTED AMONG THE TOP 10 HOTELS IN BANGKOK BY THE READERS OF CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER

159 Rajadamri Road Bangkok, 10330 Thailand u T. (66) (2) 207 7777 u stregis.bangkok@stregis.com 227 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym stregis.com/bangkok 33

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Beijing Beijing’s Most Prestigious Address

ASK US ABOUT A guided tour of Beijing’s contemporary art centers, via the Red Gate Gallery and China’s largest art community 798 to learn about the 60-year history of this vast former weapons factory.

A traditional Beijing-themed brunch. Enjoy a banquet with classic Beijing decor and traditional local cuisine in the Statesman Hall at The St. Regis Beijing.

A Fine Balance is a new three-day wellbeing package for Ayurveda fans, including tailored holistic treatments and a diet plan for restoring a balanced metabolism.

The porte-cochère at night, just a short walk from the Silk Market; a Diplomat Deluxe Room

Beijing is the capital of a great power once more, and The St. Regis Beijing is ideally positioned close to the diplomatic quarter, business district and the Forbidden City, as well as being surrounded by some of the city’s finest restaurants and bars. The signature St. Regis Butler Service, private-dining suites and mansion ambience reflect the values of old China, preparing you for your next foray into local business or culture and the dizzying experience of Chinese cuisine, including the highly-esteemed Celestial Court restaurant, serving authentic southern Chinese cuisine in a traditional setting. Or try the new Salami Room in Dianeli’s restaurant, and enjoy Beijing’s largest selection of Italian wine.

Afterwards, take time to unwind in the hotel’s Iridium Spa, one of Beijing’s most luxurious, and one that has its own natural hot spring water for soaking in. On the spa menu you will find as many as 40 Western and Chinese therapies, a comprehensive list that is sure to soothe the spirits and rejuvenate the senses.

Entertainment at Laoshe Tea House.

Enjoy a diverse performance of everything from acrobatics to puppetry, kung fu, hand imagery and even a little opera. A great way to experience the lighter side of Beijing’s cultural heritage.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Try the great new food and beverage turndown amenities for children up to the age of 17. Four different menus have been created, for four different age groups. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

MOST RECOMMENDED HOTEL IN CHINA, BOOKED.NET OUTSTANDING CHINESE RESTAURANT, RESTAURANT REVIEW

21 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Beijing 100020, China u T. (86) (10) 6460 6688 u stregis.beijing@stregis.com 258 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym stregis.com/beijing 34

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort Paradise Perfected

ASK US ABOUT Taking a jet-ski tour. Discover the beauty of the island from the aquamarine waters of the South Pacific. Enjoy stunning vistas of the ancient volcano Mount Otemanu as well as sandy beaches and the coconut trees of the surrounding motus.

Snorkeling in the hotel’s private lagoon. The crystal-clear waters surrounding Bora Bora are home to beautiful coral, manta rays, white-tip reef sharks, turtles and dolphins.

One of the over water villas facing Mt Otemanu; a Master Bedroom overlooking the ocean

Bora Bora, discovered by Captain Cook in 1769, is a 16-square-mile tropical island surrounded by coral reef and lagoons. This muchmythologized South Pacific island is some 5,000 miles west of Lima and almost 4,000 miles northeast of Sydney, its remoteness matched by its year-round warm climate and outstanding beauty. A step away from the picture-perfect beaches are rugged volcanic mountains covered with lush tropical vegetation. At the secluded 44-acre St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, all rooms have private dining areas, daybeds and state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and are elegantly decorated with Polynesian arts and crafts. Rooms either have direct access to the beach or are thatched villas built over water; views are of the extinct volcanoes, the lagoon or the reef. For the utmost privacy, the three-bedroom Royal Estate has four bathrooms, its own beach, a pool and a spa with sauna and hammam. If you are in search of perfect pampering, go to the resort’s Miri Miri Spa

by Clarins, a place of deep relaxation on its own private island.

Discover the secrets of Tahitian cultured pearls. This is an unmissable chance to gain a fascinating insight into the world of pearl cultivation and to try pearl diving for yourself in one of the world’s most beautiful lagoons. If you are lucky enough to find one of these fabulous creations, it is yours to keep.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Lagoonarium Fish Park.

This unique attraction is just a few minutes by boat from the resort.

Families will enjoy meeting turtles, fish of all kinds and color, blacktip sharks, and rays, all in a safe atmosphere for children. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BEST HOTEL SPA AND FOURTH RESORT IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, TRAVEL + LEISURE, 2013 WINNER, TOP 25 HOTELS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, TRIPADVISOR’S TRAVELER’S CHOICE, 2013

MotOme’e BP 506, Bora Bora 98730, French Polynesia u T. (689) 607898 u reservations@stregisborabora.com 100 guest rooms and suites; 4 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; beach; gym; tennis; children’s club stregis.com/borabora 35

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Changsha ASK US ABOUT Hunan Provincial Museum.

Reopening at the end of 2016 after a four-year renovation, this extraordinary collection of 110,000 ancient artefacts and cultural relics includes a 2,000-year-old mummy, silk paintings and books, lacquers, textiles, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy. A true window into the past of this fascinating region.

The hotel exterior; a Deluxe guest room

As the capital of Hunan province, and one of China’s most important ancient cities, Changsha is a prime destination for business and leisure guests alike. With its central location in Yunda International New Town, The St. Regis Changsha lies at the heart of the city’s dynamic shopping and business districts, within easy reach of museums, theaters, and historical sites of interest. The hotel’s 188 rooms and suites offer a level of elegance and refinement unmatched elsewhere in Changsha, while the signature St. Regis Butler Service is provided for every guest. The impressive array of facilities available includes a rooftop fitness center and Iridium Spa – a premiere urban sanctuary for pampering experiences.

Changsha is famed for its cuisine, and when it comes to dining, our accomplished chefs present a wide range of dining experiences. Our Yan Ting signature Chinese restaurant serves authentic dishes that evoke the spirit of Chinese cuisine while the Seafood & Champagne Bar features fresh seafood platters and a wide selection of champagnes and wines.

The Yuelu Academy. Founded in the year 976, this Academy of Classical Learning is oldest continually operating institute of learning in China, and has produced some of the country’s great poets, philosophers and political leaders, including renowned Confucian scholars Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi. A wonderfully atmospheric place to visit for a few hours, with amazing traditional architecture to admire and serene gardens to stroll around.

Juzi Island. This narrow strip of land in the center of the Xiangjiang River is a popular tourist attraction. It has gardens and orchards with thousands of fruit trees, frequent firework displays in the evening, and an enormous bust of Mao Zedong.

The island is particularly attractive in October and November when the orange trees bear fruit.

DEBUTS NOVEMBER 2016

Yunda Central Plaza, No. 289 Sha Wan Road, Yuhua District, Changsha 410129 Hunan Province u stregis.changsha@stregis.com 188 rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars, ballroom; rooftop fitness centre; lap pool; spa st.regis.com/changsha 36

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Chengdu A Modern Legacy of Storied Luxury

ASK US ABOUT Jinli Ancient Street. See a traditional road dating from the Qin Dynasty (221 to 206 BC), which is famous for its buildings and folk culture. Sample Sichuan food, from dumplings to hotpots, and admire the Wuhou temple and rich culture of the Three Kingdoms period (220 to 280AD).

Shu fabric weaving at the Chengdu Shu Brocade Museum. Explore the history and art of fabric weaving at the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum and take a private lesson from a master.

The Shui Jing Fang distillery.

A private tour can be arranged in which guests meet the master distillers and unlock the secrets of Chinese spirit Baijiu.

The Indoor pool features colored lights and holograms; a Grand Deluxe Room

The capital city of Sichuan province is flourishing as a business hub, in part because of the excellent links to the rest of the province. But this is nothing new for Chengdu. It was one of the first places in the world to issue paper currency and the starting point for part of the Southern Silk Route, from where merchants would take the region’s renowned wares to the wider world. Yet for all its importance, this ancient metropolis, founded in 316 BC, retains a remarkably relaxed atmosphere. You’ll find delicious Sichuan food being served at the hotel’s signature restaurant Yan Ting, numerous tea houses and, for downtime, parks and temples to explore. Thanks to its location, The St. Regis Chengdu is perfectly placed for business meetings, yet within easy reach of prestige boutiques and cultural highlights, including temples, museums and parks. Later, enjoy our signature Chuan Mary cocktail at the Vantage XXVII outdoor sky bar on the 27th floor, open from April to October, with in-house DJ, skyline views and a statement bronze bar.

Visit the Leshan Buddha. The world’s largest Buddha sculpture calmly overlooks the Min River opposite Leshan town, about two hours by road south of Chengdu.

It’s a humbling experience standing next to this 233-foot colossus, carved into red sandstone cliffs during the ninth century.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Closely observe giant pandas in fernleaf hedge bamboo.

Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BEST NEW LUXURY HOTEL IN CHENGDU, HURUN REPORT BEST NEW ULTRA LUXURY HOTEL, LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

88 Taisheng Road South, Qingyang District, Chengdu 610017, Sichuan, China u T. (86) (266) 287 6666 u stregis.chengdu@stregis.com 279 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; spa; athletic club; indoor & outdoor pools stregis.com/chengdu 37

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA

The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur Where Rich Legacy Meets Modern History

ASK US ABOUT Forest bathing. Guests can be transported to the forest for a short escape from the hustle and bustle of the busy city, and experience relaxation in the most natural way.

Tea picking in the Cameron Highlands. Travel by helicopter to a tea plantation to pick your own leaves, which 24 hours later will be processed so guests can receive their very own personalized tea caddies.

Walk around the Perdana Botanical Garden: Enjoy a guided tour through the leafy enclaves of the Lake Gardens, which were established in 1888 as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of colonial times.

The Mark Evans mural in the lobby; the Astor Lounge Astor Bar

The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur is located in KL Sentral, one of the most prestigious and romantic neighborhoods, a stone’s throw from the city’s Lake Gardens and heritage landmarks such as the National Museum and House of Parliament. The hotel is infused with luxurious design details such as breathtaking Austrian crystals, stunning chandeliers and hand-made Italian gold tiles. Inspired by Polo, the “Sport of Kings”, subtle details include horse-hair leather panels, saddle stitch and stirrup motifs. A curated private art collection features special commissions of epic proportions, including a monumental horse sculpture by Fernando Botero, leather murals

by Mark Evans, and a three-dimensional Birds and Butterflies artwork

by Barnaby Hoskings, inspired by the leafy enclaves of the Lake Gardens.

Guests can take advantage of a refreshing dip in the outdoor swimming pool, or relax and rejuvenate the senses at the sophisticated 1,100 square meter Iridium Spa. With six distinct dining venues, guests seeking incomparable cuisine will be spoiled for choice at The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur.

Art Tour. This thoughtfully curated tour is conducted by The St. Regis Butler who shares interesting insights into the eclectic collection of art works and installations in the hotel – including pieces by Mark Evans and Fernando Botero.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Discover the art of pewter making at Royal Selangor, a world-famous gift brand founded in 1885. Visitors can enjoy hands-on workshops of 30 or 60 minutes and create their own pewter souvenir.

6, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, Kuala Lumpur Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia u stregis.kualalumpur@stregis.com 208 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; fitness center; spa stregis.com/kualalumpur 38

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Langkawi A Refined Archipelago Escape

ASK US ABOUT The cable car and suspension Bridge at Gunung Mat Cincang.

The second highest mountain on the island is famous for offering spectacular views of Langkawi.

The Seven Wells Waterfall is a picturesque spot where visitors can swim in the cool, clear waters or soak in one of the seven linked natural pools.

Langkawi’s night markets are great for trying authentic local food prepared by street vendors at relatively low prices. Our St. Regis Concierge will be pleased to arrange transportation.

The living area of the Presidential Suite; the Main Pool

The St. Regis Langkawi nestles on the southern tip of Langkawi, the first UNESCO Global Geopark in Southeast Asia. The first new luxury resort on the island for 11 years, our discreet address overlooks a sparkling white-sand beach, swaying palm trees, and the glistening turquoise Andaman Sea. Our intimate resort offers the ideal departure point for exploring the Jewel of Kedah. On the archipelago’s largest island, picturesque villages, paddy fields, majestic mountain peaks and lush tropical jungles filled with remarkable caves and waterfalls contribute to Langkawi’s dramatic natural beauty. The translucent waters also invite guests to enjoy endless ocean activities including fishing, snorkeling, diving, sunset cruises and more. Settle into the sophisticated comforts and flawless services afforded to each of our 85 suites and four overwater villas, including one with four bedrooms. As the only resort nearby offering over-water villas, each highlights signature design elements that bring the traditions of the brand to life.

A round of golf. The 18-hole par 72 championship golf course at Els Club Teluk Datai is nestled within a centuries-old rainforest with towering lush tropical foliage, meandering its way towards the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea. Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Visit a Virgin Coconut Oil Farm, which takes you into undiscovered Langkawi. Enjoy the bucolic tapestry of Malay kampong houses, paddy fields and rubber plantations. Visitors can learn how to cold-press coconut oil and then take home a jar of the oil. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

Jalan Pantai Beringin, Pulau Langkawi, 07000 Malaysia u newhotels.asiapacific@starwoodhotels.com 89 suites and villas; 4 restaurants and bars; spa; pool stregis.com/langkawi 39

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Lhasa Resort Pinnacle Address

ASK US ABOUT The Potala Palace. One of the most famous architectural works in the world and a symbol of the Tibetan people, just 15 minutes from the resort. See it after hours, in an atmosphere of peace and sanctity.

Sabrage. St. Regis hotels have a history of embracing this famous ritual: the sabering of a champagne bottle with a sword. The St. Regis Lhasa has added Vajrayana Buddhist elements to this memorable ceremony.

Visiting the celestial lake on the Tibetan Plateau. There are hundreds of high-altitude lakes; among the most popular with visitors is Yandro Yumtso Lake, 80 miles from Lhasa.

The magnificent Potala Palace overlooking Lhasa; the Khailash Suite’s living room

Set 12,000 ft above sea level, Lhasa is surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas, with air as clean as you’ll find anywhere in the world. This extreme location will most likely take your breath away in more ways than one – you may need time to adjust to the altitude. For centuries, Lhasa has been the spiritual and political home of Buddhism, and the city is booming as tourists and pilgrims alike search for enlightenment and peace in the Place of the Gods, the name given to the city by the ancients. The St. Regis Lhasa Resort is a luxury five-star property in the city’s bustling old quarter where the Jokhang Temple, frequented by Buddhist pilgrims, is found. The resort’s spectacular Iridium spa offers specialist Tibetan treatments, or you might find healthy inspiration at the hotel’s cooking school. Join us also at our bar, Tubo by Decanter, which boasts stunning views of the Potala Palace and Lhasa’s finest selection of wines, cigars, and liquors.

Touring the Jokhang Temple (Balang North Street, Chengguan). This seventh-century temple is Tibet’s holiest site. Go in the morning when Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims arrive, and stay until the afternoon, when the interior is opened to non-Buddhists.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Reserve our Family Traditions at St. Regis suite, specially tailored for younger guests and their families, including 4pm late checkout and a RMB 500 daily credit towards family experiences and hotel F&B venues. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BEST NEW LUXURY HOTEL IN LHASA, HURUN REPORT BEST NEW ULTRA LUXURY HOTEL, LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

No. 22, Jiangsu Road, Lhasa, Tibet (Xizang) 850000 China u T. (86) (891) 680 8888 u reservation.lhasa@stregis.com 162 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; yoga; pilates; cookery school stregis.com/lhasa 40

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central Macao’s Distinctive Expression of Elegance

ASK US ABOUT Macao Grand Prix & Grand Prix Museum. Catch an exhilarating weekend of Grand Prix racing in mid-November, or use the museum’s simulators to perfect your racing line.

The Taipa Houses Museum comprises five houses with typical green Macanese architecture, and is one of the key cultural heritage sites in the city.

A-Ma Temple. Macao’s oldest temple is dedicated to China’s patron goddess of seafarers, who indirectly gave the city its name. Light a coil of incense here, near the spot where the Portuguese first landed.

The hotel exterior at night; the view from an Empire Suite

Macao is a city of historic ruins, spiritual temples, and imposing fortresses, which illustrate the evolution of Western and Chinese civilizations over more than four centuries. And The St. Regis Macao is the most elegant, sophisticated address from which to explore the very best the city affords, perfectly situated within a prime center of dining, shopping and entertainment. Guests enjoy the finest restaurants, such as The Manor, which focuses on imported prime-meat cuts and seafood, as well as amenities typified by the incomparable St. Regis Butler Service.

To further enhance your stay, our hotel offers convenient access to more than 650 designer boutiques and several premier shopping centers.

Refined comforts and elegantly appointed furnishings await in each of The St. Regis Macao’s 400 guestrooms and suites, where state-of-the-art amenities combine with traditional Chinese architectural elements and spectacular views of the Cotai Strip.

Macao Tower. This elegant construction offers magnificent panoramic views over Macao and much of the Pearl River Delta from its observation deck and revolving restaurant, 223 meters up.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Take a Macao photo tour with a personal tour guide and chauffeured vehicle. You will be presented with a Polaroid camera and a photo album so your children can capture and keep all your favorite moments of the tour, as well as inscribe notes to create a personalized memento. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

TTG CHINA AWARDS 2016, BEST NEW HOTEL IN MACAO

Estrada do Istmo. S/N, Cotai, Macao u T. (853) 2882 8898 u stregis.macao@stregis.com 400 guestrooms and suites; 3 restaurants and bars; outdoor pool stregis.com/macao 41

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA

The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Barefoot Luxury, Redefined

ASK US ABOUT Our on-site International PADI Dive Centre features Scubapro diving equipment, and offers nitrox diving courses to allow guests to experience the world-class waters.

Charter a yacht and make a personal voyage of discovery to one of the Maldives’ many uninhabited islands.

Sample the fresh seafood for which the islands are renowned. Maldivian dishes are often spicy and flavored with coconut. Don’t miss the traditional fihunu mas (barbecued fish basted with chili).

Cargo pop-up restaurant. By day an unassuming shipping container in a heavily landscaped area, but by night a romantic restaurant serving unique food.

The exterior of a Beach Villa; view of the Indian Ocean from an Over-Water Villa

Ideally poised on its own exclusive island, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is surrounded by pristine landscapes, thick tropical vegetation, a fine white-sand beach and the glistening turquoise Indian Ocean. This intimate retreat of 77 luxuriously appointed private villas and an Iridium Spa offers the perfect gateway for embracing the dramatic natural beauty of this enchanting island nation, whose 26 atolls comprise 1,192 islands, of which only 200 are inhabited. Enjoy complimentary snorkeling equipment and take in the magnificent underwater world teeming with marine life on our private house reef, one of the nation’s most renowned. Immerse yourself in sailing, windsurfing, surfing, parasailing, sea kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing and stand-up paddling.

Our ocean excursions range from deep-sea fishing to dolphin and sunset cruises and on your return to the resort, pamper yourself and indulge in the ultimate relaxation treatments in the Iridium Spa.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Family games. The hotel’s captivating outdoor areas host pétanque, beach volleyball, and other recreational activities, perfect for a family tournament. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

DEBUTS SEPTEMBER 2016

Vommuli Island, Dhaalu Atoll, Republic of Maldives u stregis.maldivesvommuli@stregis.com 77 guest villas; 6 restaurants and bars; pool; library; children’s club; spa; diving center stregis.com/maldivesvommuli 42

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Mumbai A Meeting of Legacies

ASK US ABOUT Sail with Rajesh Dullaji. Set sail from Mumbai Harbor with one of India’s leading sailors, sipping champagne while taking in the unique sights of Prong’s Lighthouse and the coastal batteries of Oyster Rock.

A curator-led tour of the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Opened in 1872, Mumbai’s oldest museum is a microcosm of the extraordinary talents of Indian master craftsmen and Early Modern artists.

The Elephanta Caves. This ancient shrine hewn from solid basalt on an island in Mumbai harbor is easily accessible by boat tour from the iconic Gate of India. The sculptures of Hindu gods date back to at least the eighth century and still bear traces of their original decorative paintwork.

The infinity pool; a Grand Deluxe room

India’s largest city, Mumbai is a spectacular metropolis full of architectural treasures that bear witness to its periods under colonial rule.

The St. Regis Mumbai is a luxury oasis in the heart of the city, the striking interiors of the grand lobby warmly welcoming guests with their old-world charm accentuated by Rajasthani Tikri artwork. As the tallest luxury hotel in India, it would be close to impossible to find more panoramic vistas elsewhere. The hotel is ideally located for leisure and business travelers owing to its prox­imity to the city’s entertainment and commercial districts. After a long day of meetings, head to the dedicated Wellness Floor for a massage at the Iridium Spa, known for its awardwinning therapists and signature treatments. Relax in the infinity pool overlooking the city before enjoying a finely crafted cocktail at new bar Luna Nudo, then wining and dining at Luna Gusta, the latest addition to our portfolio of gourmet restaurants.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park.

Only 90 minutes from bustling Mumbai lie 40 square miles of protected tropical forest, home to everything from spotted deer to mynah birds, not to mention 150 different species of butterfly.

You might even glimpse a wild leopard amid the dense foliage.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Cook with your kids. Try a culinary class with a focus on fun and discovery: this is cooking made easy for kids and parents to bond over.

WINNER OF THREE TIMES OF INDIA 2016 FOOD & NIGHTLIFE AWARDS

462 Senapti Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400013, India u T. (91) (22) 6162 8000 u stregis.mumbai@stregis.com 395 guest rooms and suites; 9 restaurants and bars; spa; athletic club; pool stregis.com/mumbai 43

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Osaka Cosmopolitan Distinction

ASK US ABOUT LEGOLAND Discovery Centre.

Only 30 minutes from the hotel. See models of local landmarks rendered in LEGO, learn how the bricks are manufactured and take part in classes taught by model builders.

Yamamoto Noh Theater. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the home of Japanese musical drama, with its impressive collection of masks and costumes, and experience what it feels like to take the stage.

Cherry blossom viewing. The cherry blossom season is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year in Japanese society, with crowds flocking to parks and gardens to eat, drink and celebrate beneath the flowers. The blossom can be seen right across the country between the end of March and mid April each year.

The St. Regis Osaka Zen Garden; the master bedroom of the Royal Suite

For many travelers, Osaka has all the urban energy and lively vibe of Tokyo with the heritage and historical riches of Kyoto. On Midosuji Avenue, where The St. Regis Osaka is located, you will find examples of the city’s long history, in the form of architectural masterpieces dating from the Taisho Era (1912-1926) and the following Showa period. The avenue has been dubbed the Champs Elysées of the Orient. The St. Regis Osaka is within a 27-story building, the tallest in the urban renewal zone.

It provides striking views over the city and is perfectly positioned for you to explore Osaka’s multi-Michelin-starred restaurant scene, cultural life and Buddhist shrines. The hotel’s garden terrace is lush with plants and has a stone garden around which to take a stroll, or you can sit and take time out from the streetscape below. Don’t miss the creations of new chef Mauro Zanusso at our La Veduta restuarant.

Festival of the Lights. Enjoy Osaka’s winter illuminations including light shows, projection mapping and dazzling trees – from the end of November until mid-January.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: My Cup Noodle Factory makes for a fascinating excursion.

Learn about ramen noodles, create a custom noodle soup, design your own cup and explore the museum.

Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BUSINESS TRAVELLER ASIA PACIFIC AWARDS 2015, BEST BUSINESS HOTEL, OSAKA WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS 2015, ASIA’S LEADING BUSINESS HOTEL

3-6-12 Hommachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka 541-0053, Japan u T. (81) (6) 6258 3333 u stregis.osaka@stregis.com 160 guest rooms and suites; 3 restaurants and bars; spa; excercise room stregis.com/osaka 44

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort China’s Most Coveted Beachfront Address

ASK US ABOUT A luxury yacht sailing experience: Guests can enjoy the opportunity to charter fully-staffed Sanya Yalong Bay Yacht Club vessels for private parties, sunset cruises, fishing excursions, corporate events and overnight cruises.

The Binglanggu Hainan Li & Miao Ethnic Minority Cultural Heritage Park is a mysterious rainforest where guest can and embrace the time-honored culture of the Li ethnic group and sample tropical fruits and special snacks.

Visiting Nanshan Temple. The sprawling Buddhist temple at the foot of Nanshan mountain, 25 miles from Sanya, was completed only in 1998 (2,000 years after the arrival of Buddhism in China), and comprises replica Tang Dynasty architecture.

A luxurious villa; the hotel’s marina

The tropical island of Hainan, China’s smallest province, has clean air, tropical vegetation, pristine beaches and offers the perfect escape from the bustle of the mainland cities. Located in the exclusive Yalong Bay on the south coast of Hainan Island in South China, The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort is the perfect choice for guests looking for a deluxe, relaxing vacation. Its heated swimming pool boasts views of tropical gardens, coconut palms, and the deep blue ocean. The hotel has access to more than half a mile of coastline on Yalong Bay (also called Asian Dragon Bay), where guests can stroll, swim or enjoy a seafood barbecue at the new beachfront bar. Our team can arrange a sailing trip to the hidden treasures of Baifu Bay, a stunning cove that offers a soft sand beach, clear turquoise waters and a secluded coral reef.

Afternoon Tea Art Time. Live music accompanies a delicate high tea in the lobby of The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort while invited artists showcase their masterpieces.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The Mangrove Forest Kayak Tour: a guided trip taking you to nearby mangrove forests by kayak, a ride that lasts for up to three hours, where you can see egrets, cormorants and pink flamingos. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER GOLD LIST, 2016 CHINA MICE INDUSTRY AWARDS BEST CONFERENCE RESORT HOTEL 2O16

Yalong Bay National Resort District, Sanya Yalong Bay, Hainan 572016, China u T. (86) (898) 8855 5555 u reservations.sanya@stregis.com 396 guest rooms and suites; 6 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; private beach; water sports; tennis; children’s club stregis.com/sanyayalongbay 45

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Shenzhen Towering Sophistication

ASK US ABOUT Overseas Chinese Town East Resort.

Located 16 miles from the hotel, OCT East is an impressive ecological resort with three major theme parks, Knight Valley, Tea Stream Valley and Wind Valley – all of which are designed to express the harmony between man and nature.

A private visit to KK Mall, one of the biggest malls in Shenzhen and located in same building of the hotel.

The butler can tailor make the tour based on customers’ needs.

Dafen Oil Painting Village, one of the largest concentrations of artists in the world, where many artists paint live and exhibit their works.

Malt, serving single malt whiskies and cigars on the 100th floor; the Iridium spa pool

Shenzhen, a commercial hub in southern China just to the north of Hong Kong, is one of the country’s most dynamic supercities. The hotel, which opened in 2011, was designed by the renowned architect Sir Terry Farrell, and occupies the top 28 floors of the landmark glass-and-steel 100-story Kingkey 100 tower in the heart of the Luohu financial district.

Take advantage of the height at The Drawing Room on the 96th floor, which serves a delicious afternoon tea and has stunning panoramic views of Shenzhen city. Business travelers like to unwind with a treatment in The St. Regis Shenzhen’s Iridium Spa, or meet colleagues in Decanter wine bar or in Malt, now a new sushi and oyster bar. Guests can enjoy a selection of prime oysters from all over the world, Japanese sushi and sashimi, lobster and Wagyu beef – as well as a carefully curated selection of rare malt whiskies, champagnes and wine to enjoy as you take in the stunning views over the city. Alternatively, head off to explore the city’s local theme parks, gardens and historical attractions.

The Window of the World, a theme park with models of sights from around the world, including the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Angkor Wat of Cambodia. Continue your visit in the world’s largest fossil forest, Fairy Lake Botanical Garden and Shenzhen Palaeontological Museum.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: For guests traveling with children, as part of the signature St. Regis Butler Service, Butlers will be delighted to present the Children’s Booklist and recommend books according to guests’ needs.

BEST LUXURY HOTEL IN CHINA 2015, CITY TRAVELER BEST LUXURY HOTEL IN SHENZHEN, TTG CHINA TRAVEL AWARDS 2015

No. 5016 Shennan Road East, Luoh District Shenzhen, Guangdong 518001 China u T. (86)(755) 8308 8888 u stregis.shenzhen@stregis.com 290 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym stregis.com/shenzhen 46

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Singapore Timeless Elegance

ASK US ABOUT A bespoke scent by Fragrance Du Bois. The perfumier will guide guests on a journey to uncover their personal story and translate it into a scent, capturing and preserving a memory.

A tailored atelier appointment with Kevin Seah. Have a made-to-order shirt designed and made exclusively for you from a selection of the finest cotton in the world, to be shipped to your home, anywhere in the world.

A gentleman’s day of pampering at Truefitt & Hill Singapore.

This signature experience provides grooming solutions for the modern man. Guests will experience a royal haircut, traditional hot towel wet shave, manicure, and pedicure.

The Astoria Suite Living Room; a Speciality Suite

Situated at the heart of the city’s premier shopping district, with the world-class shopping of Orchard Road and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Singapore Botanic Gardens on your doorstep, The St. Regis Singapore is the ideal residence for the discerning luxury traveler. The hotel is also close to the financial district, the famous shopping on Orchard Road, and Dempsey Hill, a revitalized colonial neighborhood with restaurants, clubs, bars, boutiques, antiques stores and art galleries. The nearby National Gallery Singapore is finally open to the public after ten years in the making, as is the offshore Coney Island Park with its exotic flora and fauna. And if you have more of a thirst for art, The St. Regis Singapore is home to one of the finest private art collections in Asia, with works by Miró, Chagall and Fernando Botero.

Bounce Singapore. This new urban playground, just a short drive from The St. Regis Singapore, features activities that revolve around 28 interconnecting trampolines. Your children can tackle fun obstacle courses or enjoy a game of basketball.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The Singapore Botanic Gardens offers an exciting array of attractions. Children will be delighted by the Tree House and Waterplay Area. This experience includes round-trip transportation, a two-hour tour, and a picnic lunch. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

DESTINASIAN READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS TOP FIVE BEST SINGAPORE HOTELS 2016 HARPER’S BAZAAR SPA AWARDS 2016: BASTIEN’S DUO TREATMENT

29 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247911 u T. (65) 6506 6888 u stregis.singapore@stregis.com 299 guest rooms and suites; 4 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; tennis stregis.com/singapore 47

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: ASIA PACIFIC

The St. Regis Tianjin Tianjin’s Premier Address

ASK US ABOUT A private men’s shopping experience at legacy shoemaker, Berluti.

Learn which shoe styles and shapes are best for you from a dedicated Berluti expert, and master Berluti’s glaçage polishing technique while enjoying a glass of champagne.

The Tianjin Eye is a spectacular observation wheel dramatically situated on the Yongle Bridge.

Enjoy views of the city from a height of up to 394 feet.

Tianjin’s Food Street is the biggest food emporium in China, where you can savor dishes with the flavors of eight Chinese cuisines.

The hotel’s spectacular exterior – part of the city’s march skywards; a Grand Deluxe Room with a river view

China’s fourth-largest city, the coastal metropolis of Tianjin has a fascinating history as the entry point for foreigners visiting and trading with Beijing and the rest of northern China. The European-style houses of the French and German concessions add a dash of grandeur to the metropolis, and original turn-of-the-century architecture can still be seen in the Wudadao district. The hotel is opposite the glittering Riverside 66 shopping mall, home to 400 renowned international brands. Many rooms have stunning river views, but if it’s a special trip, book the Presidential Suite, which has Chinese antiques, its own dining room and whirlpool bath. Also try the Xi He Ya Yuan Peking Duck restaurant on the second floor of The St. Regis Tianjin, which continues to build upon our unique Modern Chinese culinary concept, while introducing more Chinese creations, such as our classical interpretation of Peking Duck.

Xiang Sheng translates as “crosstalk” and is a dialogue between two comedians. It is one of China’s most popular performing arts, typically spoken in the Tianjin dialect.

A booking service is available through your butler.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Taste of China tour.

Experience the flavors and heritage of Tianjin as locals guide you along the famed Nanshi Food Street, home to over one hundred restaurants. Sample a variety of dishes and visit a famous snack shop where you and your children can help the chefs make Goubuli meat stuffed buns. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

BEST CONFERENCE HOTEL, GOLDEN CHAIR AWARDS, 2016 BEST BUSINESS HOTEL IN NORTH CHINA, TTG CHINA TRAVEL AWARDS, 2016

158 Zhangzizhong Road, Heping District Tianjin, Tianjin 300041, China u T. (86) (22) 5830 9999 u stregis.tianjin@stregis.com 274 guest rooms and suites; 3 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; gym; cookery school stregis.com/tianjin 48

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: EUROPE

The St. Regis Florence Premiere Location, Renaissance Grandeur

ASK US ABOUT A private visit to the laboratory and shop of renowned parfumier Aquaflor, including an opportunity to create a unique fragrance customized by the master perfumier in his atelier.

The Vasari Corridor. A half-mile long passageway that connects the Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace, lined with works from the 16th and 17th centuries as well as a unique collection of artists’ self-portraits from such luminaries as Andrea del Sarto and Marc Chagall.

Old Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella. Said to be the oldest extant pharmacy in the world. Established in 1221 by the Dominicans, who produced herbal medicines, it is still dispensing prescriptions today.

The Duomo and the rooftops of Florence; the Presidential Suite

A palazzo designed in 1432 by Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect of the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, The St. Regis Florence was converted into a hotel in the mid-1800s. When Queen Victoria took a Grand Tour, she stayed here. Now there’s a designer suite by Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta, and the hotel spa is collaborating with luxury cosmetics brand My Blend by Clarins. The Michelin-starred Winter Garden by Caino restaurant has a 19th-century illuminated colored-glass ceiling; and in keeping with the Tuscan capital’s Renaissance heritage, there are classic frescoes and antiques throughout the building. Florence is a compact and, in the right season, relaxing city. After you’ve seen the world-class Uffizi Gallery and Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia, make the most of the hotel’s location on the Piazza Ognissanti in the city’s historical heart: order an aperitivo, and sit back and watch as dusk falls over the city’s churches, hills and belltowers.

St. Regis Spa My Blend by Clarins offers an individual treatment for your skin. Our researchers select the highest-performing active ingredients to offer men and women the very best of nature and science combined.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Renaissance Discovery.

Unearth history with an interactive, immersive tour of the Palazzo Vecchio. Allow us to transport you there by horse-drawn carriage, just as the Medicis did so many years ago.

Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

TRAVELERS’ CHOICE 2016 TOP 1% ON TRIPADVISOR TRAVEL + LEISURE TOP 100 HOTELS 2015

Piazza Ognissanti 1, Florence 50123, Italy u T. 0039 055 27161 u stregisflorence@stregis.com 99 guest rooms and suites; 1 restaurant and bar; spa; gym stregis.com/florence 49

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: EUROPE

The St. Regis Istanbul Istanbul’s Modern Masterpiece

ASK US ABOUT A shopping trip to Harvey Nichols.

Enjoy a trip to the world-famous fashion store’s Istanbul outpost, with VIP transfers and personal styling service from the store’s personal shopping experts.

Your discount at luxury boutiques.

The St. Regis Istanbul guest benefits from 10 percent discount on purchases at leading stores such as Tom Ford, Alexander McQueen, Lanvin and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Visit gentleman’s tailor Civan and make your own bow tie with owner Bahar Gozkun. Following this, you will enjoy a visit to A La Turca House to view their collection of antiques and Kilim rugs.

Two views of the luxurious Cosmopolitan Suite

Istanbul has long been the place where Europe and Asia met and exchanged goods, philosophies, cultures and credos. In the past decade, it has become a confident, modern city and has witnessed booms in the art scene, in the quality and range of its nightlife, and in business. Ancient meets modern with confidence in this metropolis, and at The St. Regis Istanbul. Once you’ve ticked off traditional landmarks including Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar, explore modern must-sees such as contemporary art at Istanbul Modern and Galerie Nev, hip fashion boutiques in Cihangir or nightlife in Ortakoy or Beyoglu. The St. Regis Istanbul’s neighborhood of Sisli is a quiet one adjoining bustling Beyoglu, so you get the best of both worlds. For the highest luxury, our custom one-bedroom Bentley Suite surrounds you with walls of curved veneer and sumptuous leather fittings, inspired by the seductive interior of the Bentley Continental.

A private curator-led tour through the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art’s exquisite permanent and current collections. Learn firsthand about the social, cultural, economic and political dynamics of the various works of art.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: A private city tour led by local writer Özgür Gezer, ending with a boat tour on Haliç Creek and great views of the Old City. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER, BEST NEW HOTELS IN THE WORLD: HOT LIST 2016 ROBB REPORT BEST OF THE BEST 2015

Mim Kemal Oke Cad. N° 35, Nisantasi, Sisli, Istanbul, Turkey u T. (90)(212) 368 0000 u stregis.istanbul@stregis.com 118 guest rooms and suites; 3 restaurants and bars; spa; gym stregis.com/istanbul 50

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: EUROPE

The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort Mediterranean Sanctuary, Privileged Address

ASK US ABOUT A visit to an olive estate. Enjoy a fascinating day out at Pedruxella Gran, an 18th-century olive estate.

Witness olive pressing as it has been done for hundreds of years, and discover why olive oil holds such an important place in local and Mediterranean culture.

The living room of an Ocean One Suite; Mediterranean vegetation enhances the traditional-style Spanish architecture

All the pleasures and treasures of the Western Mediterranean are found in Mallorca, the main island of the Balearics. The beaches get a lot of attention and some are pretty stunning, but inland are olive groves and vineyards, mountains and rural mansions, cozy old restaurants and tourist-free towns and villages. In the southwestern corner of the island on the Costa d’en Blanes, there are turquoise waters and a sense of being apart from the hubbub. This is also where you’ll find The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, whose guest rooms were designed by Claudio Carbone. It is a lovely hideaway and a perfect base for exploring the best of the island. The main restaurant Aqua has been totally renovated throughout and The Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine has been extended; the spa’s product lines now include NIANCE and Maria Galland. Continue your relaxing stay with a session on the wooden yoga platform, which has a tranquil sea view. Don’t miss the newly opened San Juan gastronomic market in the S’Escorxador building in nearby Palma.

Rialto Living is a unique establishment in the city that occupies a beautiful 18th-century building which in 1926 transformed its ground floor into the legendary Rialto Cinema Theatre. This atmospheric space has since been converted into a lifestyle store where visitors can find local products and a carefully curated selection of clothes, furniture and home accessories, fabrics, decoration, books and gifts, as well as a bar and art gallery.

The “Dijous Bo”. The “good Thursday” takes place every year on the third Thursday of November, and sees the city of Inca transformed to become Mallorca’s largest market.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: The Tramuntana Mountains, close to the hotel, are one of Mallorca’s greatest natural assets and UNESCO-listed as a World Heritage Site. Walks and treks to suit all take place in this exquisite landscape. Learn more at stregis.com/familytraditions

RESTAURANT ES FUM AWARDED ONE MICHELIN STAR, 2015

Carretera Palma – Andratx 19, Costa d’en Blanes, Mallorca 07181, Spain u T. (34)(971) 629629 u info.mardavall@stregis.com 125 guest rooms and suites; 4 restaurants and bars; spa; pool; beach; gym; private jetty; children’s club stregis.com/mallorca 51

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: EUROPE

The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya Contemporary Heritage in the Heart of Moscow

ASK US ABOUT A unique signature treatment created

by Thalgo exclusively for the Iridium Spa: an exceptional radiance age-prevention ritual including a St. Regis afternoon tea ceremony.

Travel in style in a Bentley Flying Spur. St. Regis has selected Bentley as the preferred house car for its hotels and resorts. The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya is therefore delighted to offer its guests the chance to discover Moscow in the impeccable surroundings of a Bentley Flying Spur, which can also be provided for airport/railway transfers.

The Orlov Lobby Lounge; the Rooftop Hall and terrace

One of the world’s greatest cities, Moscow is a powerhouse of business, culture and tourism. Situated in the historic center of the Russian capital, within easy walking distance of the celebrated Bolshoi Theater and the Kremlin, you’ll find The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya. A stone’s throw also from major business centers and the Duma – Russia’s parliament – the hotel’s well-equipped business center provides outstanding conference facilities and responsive service for business travelers. For leisure travelers, the hotel promises a heady mix of high culture and world-class retail in the boutiques of Nikolskaya Plaza, the city’s new luxury shopping destination. When it comes to dining, guests can choose between the Orlov Lobby Bar and Lounge and Osteria A Tavola, a delightful contemporary Italian restaurant, and for wellbeing they can enjoy the newly opened Iridium Spa.

Moscow Cinema. First opened in 1936, the wonderfully atmospheric Moscow Cinema is a true cultural icon for Muscovites. Any suite guest, at The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya, is invited to attend a performance at this upscale and luxurious cinema with their family.

Private golf classes at the exclusive Moscow City Golf Club with a private instructor, including hire of all necessary equipment.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Painting for kids.

In keeping with our mission to celebrate the art of play, children of guests are given a traditional wooden Russian Matreshka doll to paint.

Brushes and paints are provided.

#1 BUSINESS HOTEL, CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER HOT LIST, 2015

Nikolskaya Street 12, Moscow, 109012, Russian Federation u T. (7)(495) 967 7776 u moscow@stregis.com 210 guest rooms and suites; 5 restaurants and bars; pool; spa; fitness center stregis.com/moscow 52

THE AFICIONADO’S GUIDE TO ST. REGIS: EUROPE

The St. Regis Rome Patrimony of Art & Legacy of Service

ASK US ABOUT Pizza making. This workshop gives guests the opportunity to learn how to make fresh home-made pizza, experimenting with raw ingredients and using traditional Italian utensils.

La Grande Bellezza. Paolo Sorrentino’s glorious homage to the Eternal City, translated as The Great Beauty, won the 2014 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Why not take a tour of the timeless landmarks photographed in the movie?

Make authentic gelato. For a truly delicious and immersive Italian experience, enjoy a half-day workshop with Maria Agnese Spagnuolo of Gelateria Fatamorgana, who will share her secret recipes and tricks for creating the softest, most enticing gelato in the city from the finest seasonal ingredients.

The hotel’s façade, next to the historic Fountain of Moses; the living room of the Couture Suite

For history, beauty, style, culture and romance, Rome has few rivals as the world’s most compelling metropolis. Here ancient palaces, temples, churches and monuments sit alongside all the contemporary attractions of a modern European capital. Such a city deserves a hotel of classical proportions, and The St. Regis Rome, built right beside the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian, more than lives up to those expectations. Rome’s first grand hotel, this palazzo was opened by celebrated hotelier César Ritz in 1894, and it retains its majesty and prominence in the life of this great city to this day. The hotel, with its luxurious interiors, beautiful ballroom, chandeliers and hand-painted frescoes, makes for a majestic base from which to explore the Eternal City. Don’t miss the Piazza della Repubblica’s latest opening: Eataly, the largest Italian marketplace in the world, full of restaurants, food and beverage counters, a bakery, retailers, and a cooking school.

Family Traditions at St. Regis program: Myths and Heroes.

Discover the richness of Greek and Roman mythology with a fun-filled journey through the collections of the Capitoline Museums, led by a guide who will retell these classic stories that never cease to delight and fascinate children of all ages.

WORLD’S BEST BUSINESS HOTEL, TRAVEL + LEISURE, 2014 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER READERS’ CHOICE AWARD, 2014

Via Vittorio E. Orlando 3, Rome 00185, Italy u T. (39)(06) 47091 u stregisgrandrome@stregis.com 161 guest rooms and suites; 2 restaurants and bars; spa stregis.com/rome 53

Discover the Upcoming St. Regis Hotels & Resorts

AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

The St. Regis Astana The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club The St. Regis Amman

A S I A PAC I F I C

The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan The St. Regis Lijiang Resort The St. Regis Zhuhai The St. Regis Quingshui Bay Resort (Sanya)

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Opening March 2017 Opening March 2017 Opening June 2017

Opening January 2017 Opening June 2017 Opening June 2017 Opening December 2017

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1. The St. Regis New York 2. The St. Regis Beijing 3. The St. Regis Rome 4. The St. Regis Houston 5. The St. Regis Washington, D.C. 6. The St. Regis Aspen Resort 7. The St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort 8. The St. Regis San Francisco 9. The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort 10. The St. Regis Singapore 11. The St. Regis Bali Resort 12. The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort 13. The St. Regis Atlanta 14. The St. Regis Mexico City 15. The St. Regis Princeville Resort 16. The St. Regis Deer Valley 17. The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico

18. The St. Regis Osaka 19. The St. Regis Lhasa Resort 20. The St. Regis Bangkok 21. The St. Regis Florence 22. The St. Regis Tianjin 23. The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort 24. The St. Regis Shenzhen 25. The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi 26. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort 27. The St. Regis Doha 28. The St. Regis Mauritius Resort 29. The St. Regis Abu Dhabi 30. The St. Regis Chengdu 31. The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskaya 32. The St. Regis Istanbul 33. The St. Regis Mumbai 34. The St. Regis Dubai

35. The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central 36. The St. Regis Kuala Lumpur 37. The St. Regis Langkawi 38. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort 39. The St. Regis Cairo 40. The St. Regis Changsha

COMING SOON 41. The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan January 2017 42. The St. Regis Astana March 2017 43. The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club March 2017 44. The St. Regis Amman June 2017 45. The St. Regis Lijiang Resort June 2017 46. The St. Regis Zhuhai June 2017 47. The St. Regis Qingshui Bay Resort (Sanya) December 2017

T H E S T. R E G I S M A G A Z I N E

B E Y O N D , T H E S T. R E G I S M A G A Z I N E

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